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By 1992, three years after he left the White House, Ronald Reagan was anything but a beloved former president. As a painful recession gripped the country, the public came to see the Reagan years -- which featured a massive defense buildup, soaring deficits and even a stock market crash in 1987 -- as the source of their economic woes. Running for president that year, Bill Clinton promised to enact a clean break from the "failed policies of Reagan and Bush." As Reagan prepared to speak at the Republican National Convention in August, a Gallup poll found that just 46 percent of Americans had a favorable view of him. By contrast, Jimmy Carter, the man Reagan had defeated in a 44-state rout in 1980, was viewed favorably by 63 percent of the American public. The Reagan presidency stood in something approaching disrepute. Today, though, you'd never know any of this happened. In the two decades since it bottomed out, Reagan's image has been resurrected, thanks largely to a relentless campaign from conservative activists. Will Bunch, who writes for the Philadelphia Daily News and is a senior fellow at Media Matters, chronicled Reagan's image makeover -- and the reality of his record as president -- in his 2008 book "Tear Down This Myth." We spoke with him recently about how the myth of Reagan has taken hold, and whether there's any truth to it. I'm really struck by the poll that showed Carter much more popular than Reagan. It's not something that people would think is possible if you asked them now. Can you talk about how we reached that point, back in the early '90s? By 1992, Reagan and Carter were kind of being compared as ex-presidents, and on a lot of levels, Jimmy Carter has had this very successful ex-presidency with the work he's done for Habitat for Humanity and from the other peace-oriented types of missions he's been on around the world. Reagan received an enormous amount of criticism a couple of years after he left office, particularly for an episode that's probably not going to get mentioned a lot this week, which is accepting, I believe it was $2 million, to give a speech in Japan. At the time, it was unusual and kind of jarring for Reagan to accept that much money to give a speech, plus the fact that a bunch of millionaires in California had all chipped in to buy Reagan a house, which a lot of people thought was kind of suspicious and didn't look too different from bribery. Also, Nancy Reagan actually published her memoirs (1989's "My Turn"), and they were very poorly received as being kind of nasty and vindictive. And so there were a lot of negative feelings about Reagan. But the real reason Reagan had fairly high unpopularity in the early 1990s was that people were not happy with the aftermath of his policies as president. The American economy was doing very poorly in the early 1990s, there was a recession during the presidency of George H.W. Bush. Bush 41's presidency basically collapsed because he was forced to increase taxes to deal with the continuing deficits that were a legacy of Reagan. There was high anxiety among the American people starting in Reagan's second term about the loss of jobs in manufacturing, the growing clout of Asia -- so all of these things really caused Reagan to be viewed pretty negatively at the time. Bill Clinton campaigned very aggressively against Reaganomics. When Clinton was able to get some of his economic policies through Congress in the first two years of his presidency, Time ran a cover with a picture of Reagan upside down, and it was about the death of Reaganomics. That was the tone in the early '90s, before this conservative campaign to build what I call the Reagan myth got started. Going back a step to his time in office, the popular version of Reagan's presidency is that he was elected kind of overwhelmingly, and then in 1984 reelected in a 49-state landslide, and then he just rides off into the sunset at the end of his term. But that second term was -- there were some serious problems in there, weren't there? Oh, absolutely. A lot of people -- and I mean people in Congress who were in a position to do something about it -- felt that Reagan possibly committed impeachable offenses in the Iran-Contra scandal. There were several reasons he wasn't impeached. One, I think, was his age and some concern about his mental state, and the fact that he was in his second term. You have to remember that in the late 1980s, it really didn't feel like it was that long after Watergate -- and I think there's a tendency in politics to not want to relive something that's so traumatic. I mean, obviously, Congress had shed its qualms about impeachment by the late 1990s, but I think with Reagan there was a reluctance to do that. Reagan's poll numbers really suffered a lot in the last two years of his presidency, partly because of Iran-Contra, but the other thing was the huge crash of the stock market in October 1987, which in the short run caused people to really start to reexamine Reagan's economic policies and whether the economic boom of the mid-1980s had maybe been a house of cards. I believe there was a poll that showed maybe a third of the American people wanted to see Reagan resign before his term was over, and certainly his approval ratings fell back under 50 percent. The thing about Reagan and his approval ratings is they really went way up and way down. I mean, he was elected by a pretty big margin in 1980, probably because of Jimmy Carter's unpopularity. Then, when he came into office, he cut taxes and always gets so much credit for improving the economy -- except the economy got much worse over the next year, to where unemployment hit a high point, I think 10.8 percent. And Reagan's approval ratings dropped much lower than Obama's ever has, down to 35 percent. And then in '84 -- talk about good timing -- he really got the most benefits of the inevitable capitalist cycle of the reversal of the economy. It was really roaring back in '84, and the Democrats didn't really nominate the strongest opponent in [Walter] Mondale, and Reagan did win a big landslide. But then his popularity really plunged again because of Iran-Contra and nagging worries about aspects of the economy. When he left office, his approval ratings were pretty high, and I think that after all the failed presidencies that came before him -- Nixon, Carter and Ford -- there was a sense of relief that he'd gotten through two terms and nothing disastrous had happened. There was goodwill toward Reagan because of his personality and his age. So he left office with a pretty high approval rating. And when he left office and people started to ponder the effects of his policies, his poll numbers dropped again only to be resurrected in the late 1990s. But here we are just 15 or 20 years later and that whole story you just outlined is forgotten by so many people. What was the turning point from, say, that summer of '92, when Carter was actually more popular than Reagan, to where we are today? There was always an effort on the right, starting from 1989 on, to try to give Reagan credit for winning the Cold War. The funny thing was, at first the public didn't really buy into that because the public was following the day in and day out of the news very carefully and felt what I think most scholars feel, which is that the credit for the Soviet Union collapsing largely belongs to Mikhail Gorbachev -- that it was Gorbachev pressing for these reforms and Reagan was an external force that wasn't quite as important. I quote in "Tear Down This Myth" a USA Today poll that was taken after the Berlin Wall collapsed (in October 1989) and a majority of Americans credited Gorbachev and only 14 percent credited Reagan. How the myth gets started is that memories get softer and you have one group that gets very aggressive in pushing this notion that it was all Reagan's doing, that it was because of his defense buildup. The other thing is, during the 1990s, it was a great time economically -- probably better than it should have been because of the dot-com boom. At least among one class there was a lot of affluence in America -- and there were improvements that reached down to lower income. Black unemployment, for example, dropped during Clinton's presidency. It created this feeling that America had been on a roll and people forgot the recession of the early 1990s and how bad things had been and their anger with Reagan. They were more willing to say, "Well, this all started with Reagan," forgetting all those bad things that happened in the '80s and '90s. It's no accident that the push to glorify Ronald Reagan started in 1997, because it was the year that Bill Clinton started his second term. He had just defeated Bob Dole overwhelmingly and things looked bleak for the broader conservative movement. They didn't seem to have anybody on the horizon to be a leader of the party, so there was this very conscious and calculated effort to look back. Something else that you can't overlook is that in 1997 Reagan was still alive and he announced with a lot of class and dignity in 1994 that he had Alzheimer's, so the public hadn't actually seen Reagan for three years. And the public impression of Nancy Reagan softened quite a bit, for good reasons -- she was out there pushing for stem cell research and other things. It would have been very difficult to criticize Reagan because of his health, a situation that engendered personal goodwill. And that was something else conservatives could use as they launched this campaign to build up the Reagan legacy. They call it the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project, started in 1997 by Grover Norquist. It was this aggressive push to rename as many things as possible across the country for Reagan. It started with the airport in Washington, which they successfully renamed Reagan Airport. And it's funny to see news from that time, because a lot of Democrats were biting their tongues because they had no good memories of Reagan's presidency, but because of his health nobody was going to vote against renaming the airport for Reagan. Not all of the ideas have been enacted. We still don't have Reagan's picture on a $50 bill, or alternating on the dime with FDR, as some people proposed. But there are an increasing number of Ronald Reagan statues across the country, and you can almost drive across the Sun Belt continuously on some sort of Ronald Reagan boulevard or freeway or highway. Not surprisingly, the push to rename things for Reagan has been more successful where conservatism is the most popular. It seems that a lot of people aren't even aware of what Reagan actually did as president, and you can point out areas where he clearly didn't do things that you would call conservative -- immigration comes to mind, with the amnesty in 1986. Do the Reagan deifiers even know what they're worshiping? Especially now that Reagan's passed away, I think they're able to purport this idyllic, mythological version of Reagan who happens coincidentally to support all the pillars of the modern conservative movement. Political movements need a hero and Ronald Reagan -- the word "roles" is often associated with him because of his acting career, and his final role has been hero. But to do that, this movement had to do a rewrite, and things like the amnesty for undocumented immigrants had to go to the cutting room floor. He increased taxes on a number of occasions, either to undo the damage of his first tax cut, or because -- unlike modern conservatives -- he would actually engage in negotiations and try to compromise with Democrats on certain issues. All these things get lost because they don't fit the storyline that they're trying to push out there. What goes through your head when you hear conservatives talk about Ronald Reagan now? Well, I think they're misusing Reagan to push policies that in 2011 are destructive and could continue to be destructive to America. The whole tax thing is kind of insane -- that you can never raise taxes, which is not anything like what Reagan actually did. Even when he was governor of California, he actually signed the biggest tax increase that the governor of any state had ever signed at that time. So Reagan never subscribed to the idea that you can never raise taxes. The other thing that really rang true in the Bush years is using the great sound bites Reagan produced -- like "tear down this wall" or "evil empire" -- to justify things like the war in Iraq. I don't know if you saw "The Social Network," but there's a line in it about how every good creation myth needs a devil. Does this help explain why, just as Reagan's popularity has gone up in the last two decades, Jimmy Carter's has taken a hit? Is he a casualty of the creation of the Reagan myth? Yeah. The issue that was really the centerpiece of Carter's presidency was energy -- trying to promote useful alternative energy. And I don't see how you can look at what's happened over the last 25 years and not say that Carter was right: that we should have been researching alternative energy the whole time, and as a result we've fallen behind other countries; that we're addicted to oil and unable to shake that. But if you listen to talk radio, Jimmy Carter is reduced to wearing the sweater and turning the thermostat down at the White House. They've done such a good job creating Carter as kind of an anti-Reagan -- that part of Reagan's greatness was that he saved America from the malaise, which, by the way, is a word that Carter never actually uttered. This has become the modern equivalent of waving the bloody shirt was for the post-Civil War Republicans: waving the Jimmy Carter cardigan sweater. \|\|\|\|\| Today, November 4, marks the thirtieth anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s election as president. It is a fitting time to dispense once and for all with the myth that there is any similarity whatsoever between Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Washingtonians and insecure politicians obsess with comparisons but can anyone imagine Lincoln or FDR or JFK or Reagan comparing themselves to previous presidents? Far too secure in their own skin, they enjoyed the presidency as Kennedy said paraphrasing the ancient Greeks that it was "the full use of your powers along lines of excellence." ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Fellini said, "you must live spherically" and by this, the old movie director meant one should live their lives in many different directions. Reagan was a star athlete and a good student and a class president at Eureka College and a captain of the swim team there. He was a successful radio broadcaster, favorite movie actor and a six term union president and host of GE Theatre (one of the most popular shows on television all through the 1950's) and a lecturer and a writer and a governor and a political leader and a rancher and a carpenter and horseman and devote Christian and doting father and loving husband and good friend. He did all these things before becoming the 40th president of the United States and then when he did, he revived a moribund country, resuscitated a dead economy (far worse than Obama's) and then conquered an Evil Empire, freeing millions imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain. He did all these things because he believed and lived American Exceptionalism. And then he rode off into the sunset, never worrying about his post-presidency as a means of cleaning up the mess of his time in office. He left no mess but instead, the country and the world much better off than he found it. Reagan's legacy didn't need to be rehabilitated. After all, his approval rating in January of 1989 was 70 percent. Among voters under 30, it was a mind boggling 85 percent! Barack Obama, on the other hand, is our first "Facebook" president. He wrote two autobiographies before he was elected. His only world knowledge is in the study of himself which explains his preferred personal pronouns of "I" and "Me" and "My." He is a product of his generation and has never risen about his utterly self-absorbed culture. Reagan was derided by the elites all the time he was in Washington as some kind of unsophisticated dummy but in fact was an extraordinary well-read man, having developed his own singular and unique ideology, based on the individual. He arrived at this as a student of the Enlightenment, of faith and of populism. Thomas Paine was his favorite philosopher and embraced the "Natural Law" of man's freedom associated with him and his peers of the time. Yet Reagan also embraced the faith-based belief that God's plan for Man was freedom as well as the populism of Andrew Jackson, who understood innately that the only system that worked must include, as Reagan said, "maximum freedom consistent with law and order." One is hard pressed to believe that Obama thinks such thoughts though simpering elitists like Paul McCarthy have bought into the hype and propaganda about Obama. Can anyone recall Obama ever quoting a Founding Father or a great philosopher? Reagan quoted the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian! Of more immediate concern are the incessant comparisons between 1982 and 2010. In fact, there is no comparison, mainly because even though Reagan's popularity had sagged and support for Reaganomics had fallen, when pressed, in all the polling data, the American people still believed in Reagan's prescriptions. Today, the American people don't believe in Obama's plan and by overwhelming numbers, too, oppose everything he has sponsored over the past two years. After 1982, Reagan didn't need to "move to the left." He stuck to his guns by staying the course, the theme of that off-year election. Is anyone urging Obama to "stay the course?" Reagan's plan eventually came to fruition beginning in January of 1983 when the economy created one million new jobs. The Washington Post thought this was so significant, it was not even reported in the front section of the paper, let alone the front page. His plan resulted in 96 months of unbroken economic growth, the creation of 18 million new jobs, the eradication of inflation and high interest rates and, to boot, non-defense federal spending fell by nearly 14 percent on his watch. He also used the veto pen more than any president since Ike. Let's see if Obamanomics creates one million new jobs next January. Just like Reagan? Oh, please. Craig Shirley is president of Shirley & Banister Public Affairs and has written two books on Ronald Reagan, including his newest, "Rendezvous With Destiny" (Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 2009). He is now working on a third Reagan book and a political biography of Newt Gingrich.	– Republicans sometimes bristle at the comparisons between Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama because of their midterm troubles. A favorite conservative theme about Reagan is that the "love fest" between him and the American people continued during and after his presidency, writes Steve Kornacki at Salon, who singles out this piece as an example. He says it's time for a reality check. He ticks off the Savings and Loan mess, the Iran-Contra scandal, and a national debt that tripled to $3 trillion. George HW Bush suffered for the sins of Reagan, to the point where Bill Clinton was able to steal the "Reagan Democrats" back. Polls in 1992 found that just 24% of Americans thought the country was better off because of Reagan, and his popularity sank below Jimmy Carter's to 46%. His image has since been restored, but "the conservatives who lionize Reagan today are worshiping a flattering caricature," he writes.
The company buys tickets from theaters at full price, so AMC is finding it hard to see how it can sustain its renewed business model. "[I]t is not yet known how to turn lead into gold," AMC said in a statement. "In AMC's view, that price level is unsustainable and only sets up consumers for ultimate disappointment down the road if or when the product can no longer be fulfilled." MoviePass explained that it's funding the venture with the $27 million it's getting by selling a 51 percent stake to data firm Helios and Matheson Analytics. It knows that it will lose money from subsidizing tickets, but it's hoping that theaters and studios will eventually sell them at discounted rates once viewers pour in -- it aims to gain 80,000 new subscribers -- and concession sales go up. That might be why AMC is opposed to the idea. Deadline says the theater chain's value dropped 35 percent this month, and it's worried about losing money from MoviePass' offerings in the long run: "From what we can tell, by definition and absent some other form of other compensation, MoviePass will be losing money on every subscriber seeing two movies or more in a month... While AMC is not opposed to subscription programs generally, the one envisioned by MoviePass is not one AMC can embrace. We are actively working now to determine whether it may be feasible to opt out and not participate in this shaky and unsustainable program." Netflix cofounder and MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe doesn't think AMC's reaction would affect the deal his company is closing with Helios and Matheson. However, he's worried that people would think that they can't use the service for AMC's theaters from the get-go. He likened the chain's reaction to video rental services' when Redbox and streaming services started popping up. "It's the big guy being afraid of the little guy offering better value to consumers," he added. Ultimately, though, he believes MoviePass can work with studios and theaters "in a constructive manner so that everybody makes more money." \|\|\|\|\| AMC Theatres is threatening legal action against MoviePass, a subscription-based service for cinema-goers, hours after the company announced it will allow customers to see a movie a day for less than $10 a month. In a statement, the world’s largest exhibitor dismissed MoviePass as “a small fringe player” and said that its model “is not in the best interest of moviegoers, movie theatres and movie studios.” AMC’s stock has been hit hard in recent weeks after it released disappointing quarterly earnings and lowered its projections for 2017. The summer box office is in a slump and a stream of film flops have dragged down exhibition stocks. Shares of AMC took a beating again on Tuesday following MoviePass’ pricing announcement — the company’s stock ended the day down 2.57% at $13.25. MoviePass didn’t just unveil a new pricing plan on Tuesday. It also announced that had sold a majority stake to Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc., a publicly traded data firm, for an undisclosed price. Since it was founded in 2011, MoviePass has roiled exhibitors, who have engaged in legal action at various points to try to stop its development. Related What Is MoviePass? The Pros and Cons of $10-a-Month Unlimited Films In an interview with Variety, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe said the deal has yet to close, but expressed concern that AMC’s stance could hurt his business. “I’m not worried about it killing the sale,” he said. “What I’m worried about is it confusing customers and making them believe they can’t use this service at AMC theaters.” MoviePass is using the capital injection from the sale to fund an overhaul to its pricing model. It will now enable customers to see a movie a day in a theater for a $9.95 monthly fee, far less than the cost of a ticket in many major markets. MoviePass re-sells the tickets to customers and purchases them at full price using a MasterCard debit card. It claims it boosts attendance by 111% and that its customers buy more concessions. But exhibitors have preferred to bolster their own loyalty programs instead of aligning themselves with the service. For instance, AMC has invested heavily in growing its Stubs rewards program. In the statement, AMC said it is consulting with its attorneys to determine if or how it can prevent a subscription program offered by MoviePass from being used at its locations. It questioned the longterm viability of MoviePass’ model, noting that the average ticket price for watching a movie at AMC Theatres in the most recent financial quarter was $9.33. “From what we can tell, by definition and absent some other form of other compensation, MoviePass will be losing money on every subscriber seeing two movies or more in a month,” AMC’s statement reads. Lowe acknowledges that his company is subsidizing ticket buyers and will lose money in the process. However, he believes that MoviePass will be able to prove its value to movie theaters and studios, and that in the future they will cut the company in on their additional profits. Theater owners could also either pay MoviePass back with advertising or give them a percentage of the concessions sales. “There must be some way to make us whole,” said Lowe. “We know we have to prove the value we deliver and, at that point in time, where we’re delivering value to studios and theaters, we can work together with them in a constructive manner so that everybody makes more money.” At one point, AMC and MoviePass had worked in concert with each other. In 2015, the companies partnered on a pilot program in select markets. Ironically, MoviePass uses data from that initiative to support its claims that it bolsters concessions sales and attendance. In the ensuing years, AMC has gone from ally to foe. On Tuesday, it was withering in its dismissal of MoviePass’ ambitions. In the statement, it said “that it is not yet known how to turn lead into gold,” adding, “In AMC’s view, that price level is unsustainable and only sets up consumers for ultimate disappointment down the road if or when the product can no longer be fulfilled.” The company said that reducing pricing to accommodate the MoviePass model would negatively impact the customer experience and would leave them unable to “operate quality theaters.” It went on to suggest that the MoviePass model would have a chilling effect on the creative community by cutting them out of the income they receive from movie theaters. “While AMC is not opposed to subscription programs generally, the one envisioned by MoviePass is not one AMC can embrace,” the company’s statement reads. “We are actively working now to determine whether it may be feasible to opt out and not participate in this shaky and unsustainable program.” Lowe, a co-founder of Netflix and the former head of Redbox, compared AMC’s reaction to the blowback those home entertainment companies received from movie studios and video rental chains when they offered DVDs by mail or via kiosks. “This is so much like Blockbuster was when we rolled out Netflix or Redbox,” said Lowe. “It’s the big guy being afraid of the little guy offering better value to consumers.” \|\|\|\|\| SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg As movie theaters struggle with tepid sales, Mitch Lowe has an extreme proposal for how to get more people into seats: Let them come to all the showings they want for about the price of a single ticket each month. Lowe, an early Netflix Inc. executive who now runs a startup called MoviePass, plans to drop the price of the company’s movie ticket subscriptions on Tuesday to $9.95. The fee will let customers get in to one showing every day at any theater in the U.S. that accepts debit cards. MoviePass will pay theaters the full price of each ticket used by subscribers, excluding 3D or Imax screens. MoviePass could lose a lot of money subsidizing people’s movie habits. So the company also raised cash on Tuesday by selling a majority stake to Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc., a small, publicly traded data firm in New York. The companies declined to comment on terms of the financing but said MoviePass intends to hold an initial public offering by March. Helios and Metheson shares rose 5.7 percent to $2.95 at the close Tuesday in New York. Ted Farnsworth, chief executive officer at Helios and Matheson, said the goal is to amass a large base of customers and collect data on viewing behaviors. That information could then be used to eventually target advertisements or other marketing materials to subscribers. “It’s no different than Facebook or Google,” Farnsworth said. “The more we understand our fans, the more we can target them.” Theater operators should certainly welcome any effort to increase sales. The top four cinema operators, led by AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., lost $1.3 billion in market value early this month after a disappointing summer. The number of tickets sold in the U.S. and Canada last year declined slightly, while box office revenue rose just 2 percent thanks to pricier tickets, according to the Motion Picture Association of America, a trade group. The cost of a ticket has almost doubled in the last two decades, according to the website Box Office Mojo. The average price is about $8.89 this year, though it can be much higher in some cities. Shares of theater companies fell Tuesday on concerns that MoviePass’s pricing would hurt studios or exhibitors. AMC’s stock declined 2.6 percent to $13.25 at the close. Investors may be misinterpreting the MoviePass business model, Eric Wold, an analyst at B Riley & Co. wrote in a note to clients. If MoviePass can drive more people to theaters that would benefit the exhibitors, although the overall impact is “more negligible than anything,” Wold wrote. MoviePass was founded in 2011, originally with a business model similar to a gym membership. The company hoped to turn profit from subscribers who paid $30 or more per month but didn’t use the service often enough to justify the cost. Lowe, a fixture of the home video business who helped get Netflix off the ground and served as president of rental-kiosk operator Redbox, was named CEO last year. The privately held company declined to disclose subscriber numbers or financial information. Lowe said the data-based business model is still “years in the future.” With the new strategy, MoviePass hopes to resolve what Lowe sees as the biggest factor to blame for the theater industry’s decline. He said the high price of tickets, not competition from Netflix or Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime Video service, is a big part of what’s keeping people away. “People really do want to go more often,” Lowe said. “They just don’t like the transaction.”	– If all the movies you can watch at home for one low price per month isn't enough, a Netflix co-founder has another proposal: a movie a day at actual movie theaters for one low price per month. That's the idea behind Mitch Lowe's startup company MoviePass, which Tuesday dropped that monthly subscription fee from up to $21 (for just two movies a month) to $9.95 for dozens—less than the cost of a single movie ticket in most cities, Bloomberg reports. That subscription enables moviegoers to view one showing per day in any US theater that takes debit cards (not counting 3D and Imax films), which Lowe thinks should boost lagging ticket sales. In return, MoviePass will pay the theater the full price of each ticket. To compensate for the money it may lose, MoviePass is selling a majority stake to data firm Helios and Matheson Analytics, with an IPO set for next year. But while moviegoers are getting ready to pour butter on their popcorn, Variety reports that AMC is threatening to sue MoviePass for its cheaper plan, declaring in a statement that the subscription option is "shaky and unsustainable," an uneducated attempt to "turn lead into gold," and "not in the best interest of moviegoers, movie theaters, and movie studios." Although MoviePass says its customers increase attendance more than 110% and fork over more money for concessions, major exhibitors like AMC prefer to invest in their own customer rewards program instead of hooking up with outside parties. Lowe shrugs at AMC's waffling, comparing it to "like Blockbuster was when we rolled out Netflix or Redbox. It's the big guy being afraid of the little guy offering better value to consumers."
Las Vegas Strip mass murderer Stephen Paddock used his Mandalay Bay hotel room to spray massive aviation fuel tanks with bullets Sunday night, a knowledgeable source told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Las Vegas Strip mass murderer Stephen Paddock used his Mandalay Bay hotel room to fire bullets at jet fuel tanks Sunday night, a knowledgeable source told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Fuel tanks near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, were targeted by Strip shooter Stephen Paddock when he fired on concert-goers from his Mandalay Bay room Sunday night. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @VegasPhotograph Fuel tanks near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, were targeted by Strip shooter Stephen Paddock when he fired on concert-goers from his Mandalay Bay room Sunday night. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @VegasPhotograph Fuel tanks near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, were targeted by Strip shooter Stephen Paddock when he fired on concert-goers from his Mandalay Bay room Sunday night. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @VegasPhotograph Fuel tanks near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, were targeted by Strip shooter Stephen Paddock when he fired on concert-goers from his Mandalay Bay room Sunday night. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @VegasPhotograph Fuel tanks near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, were targeted by Strip shooter Stephen Paddock when he fired on concert-goers from his Mandalay Bay room Sunday night. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @VegasPhotograph Fuel tanks near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, were targeted by Strip shooter Stephen Paddock when he fired on concert-goers from his Mandalay Bay room Sunday night. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @VegasPhotograph Las Vegas Strip mass murderer Stephen Paddock used his Mandalay Bay hotel room to fire bullets at jet fuel tanks Sunday night, a knowledgeable source told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The bullets left two holes in one of two circular white tanks. One of the bullets penetrated the tank, but did not cause a fire or explosion near the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, another knowledgeable source said late Wednesday. The tanks are roughly 1,100 feet from the concert site, where Paddock killed 58 people and wounded almost 500. Several airplane hangars belonging to prominent corporations are also near the tanks. Within the past couple of days, a construction crew repaired the holes, and FBI agents inspected the tanks and took measurements of the line of fire from Mandalay Bay, the sources said. Paddock, a 64-year-old Mesquite resident, had broken two windows in his 32nd-floor suite — one in line with the concert site and the other with a direct view of the fuel tanks, one source said. The bases of private aircraft companies are also close to the tanks, which sit on property owned by McCarran International Airport. “Airport fueling has not been compromised,” McCarran spokesman Chris Jones said late Wednesday. “It’s functional.” The tanks are operated by Swissport, the company that runs the fueling operations for the airport, according to McCarran spokeswoman Christine Crews. They primarily are used to provide fuel to the private aircraft operators. A Swissport official could not be reached for comment. FBI spokeswoman Sandra Breault declined to comment. “We can’t comment on an ongoing investigation,” she said. A source knowledgeable about airport operations said jet fuel is hard to ignite and tanks like those across from Mandalay Bay have mechanisms in place to prevent fires. Mike Boyd, a Colorado-based aviation consultant, echoed those words. “A machine gun is not going to blow up a tank of fuel,” Boyd said. “Jet fuel itself sitting there in a big wet pile is very hard to ignite. You have to be a very amateur terrorist to think anything like that.” Paddock’s shooting rampage was the deadliest in modern U.S. history. He killed himself as Las Vegas police closed in on his room. His brother Eric Paddock, 55, who lives in Orlando, Florida, has expressed shock at his deadly actions. Paddock was a retired accountant who had no criminal background and a passion for video poker. He lived in Mesquite with his girlfriend, Marilou Danley, and regularly came to the Las Vegas Strip to gamble. Danley left Las Vegas for the Philippines a couple of weeks before the deadly mass shootings and returned to the country late Tuesday. She was interviewed by FBI agents in Los Angeles. In a statement released by her Los Angeles lawyer, she said she had no warning about his plans and pledged to cooperate with investigators. Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @JGermanRJ on Twitter. \|\|\|\|\| Lombardo details shooting timeline, says gunman planned to survive, escape The gunman who shot hundreds of concert attendees, killing dozens, was “disturbed and dangerous,” and appeared to have lived a secret life over the past decade or so, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said Wednesday night. Three days after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, which Lombardo said was thoroughly thought out, investigators continue to try to determine Stephen Paddock's motive. Paddock, who spent decades amassing weapons, may have had an escape plan but may have decided on killing himself as police closed in, Lombardo said, adding that "at face value" he assumes the gunman may have had help collecting the arsenal at some point. “Put one and one together, two and two together,” Lombardo said about the number of weapons that have been discovered in the hotel room and at two of his houses. Paddock, 64, had 1,600 rounds of ammunition and several containers of an explosive commonly used in target shooting that totaled 50 pounds in his car, Lombardo said. But the sheriff said he didn't know what, if anything, Paddock planned to do with the explosives. The shooter also sprayed 200 rounds of gunfire into the hallway when a security guard approached his hotel room, Lombardo said. The security guard, who was hit in the leg, continued to assist officers while he was injured. Lombardo said he believes the gunman may have felt cornered when he saw the security guard, so he took his own life. In the latest press briefing, Lombardo provided the clearest timeline to date from when the carnage began to when officers found Paddock’s body. Lombardo also confirmed reports that Paddock had rented a room through the Airbnb rental service in a downtown Las Vegas apartment building overlooking the Life is Beautiful music and art festival last month. Authorities don’t yet know if he may have been doing surveillance, or his motive for staying there, but they were reviewing footage from the high-rise building's security system, Lombardo said. Several of Paddock’s weapons had jammed during Sunday's attack, but he had enough firepower to continue the onslaught before shooting himself, Lombardo said. There were at least three scopes attached to rifles. Investigators continue to conduct interviews but have not understood what may have triggered the attack, Lombardo said. After all, as a retiree, Paddock had little known public interactions, and investigators were trying to determine what sorts of relationships, if any, he kept. There are people who know Paddock who may be able to assist with the investigation, Lombardo said. Interviews with an ex-wife, his family and others who knew him have not yielded any indication on his motive, Lombardo said. Detectives did determine that he'd made real estate investments in the past, and was seen gambling sometime before the shooting. Los Angeles attorney Matthew Lombard said Wednesday that Marilou Danley, Paddock's girlfriend, who had been out of the country for a couple of weeks, until her return Wednesday, had no knowledge of Paddock’s plan to carry out Sunday’s attack. Federal agents have interviewed her, but any information she may have provided was not publicly released. "It never occurred to me in any way whatsoever that he was planning violence against anyone,” Danley said via Lombard in a statement. Lombard addressed the media outside a Los Angeles FBI office but refused to answer questions. Multiple requests for comment to Lombard’s California-based law firm Wednesday evening went unreturned. Mass murder timeline 10:05 p.m. Sunday: Gunshots are first reported to emergency dispatch. 10:12 p.m. The first two police officers arrived on the floor below and realize that gunfire is coming from the 32nd floor. 10:15 p.m. Paddock fires his last rounds. 10:17 p.m. The first two officers arrive to the 32nd floor. 10:18 p.m. A security guard lets officers know he was shot and provides Paddock’s room number. 10:26 to 10:30 p.m. Additional officers arrive and begin to move down the hallway while clearing every room and seeking victims. 10:55 p.m. More officers arrive near Paddock’s room. 11:20 p.m. Officers breach a door and enter Paddock’s room, finding his body on the floor. A second door to another room is discovered. 11:27 p.m. Officers breach the second door and confirm there’s no one else inside. Further information The tally of casualties remained at 59 Wednesday night, including Paddock, Lombardo said. The total number of injured dropped to 489, with 317 who have been released from hospitals. Some had been counted twice. Drivers whose vehicles were stranded in the festival grounds are being allowed to retrieve them by meeting officers at Reno Avenue and Koval Lane. Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call 311 (for locals), or 702-828-3111. To contact the FBI, call 800-CALLFBI (225-5324). Sun reporter Chris Kudialis and the Associated Press contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| Agent overseeing FBI investigation says ‘theories are great’ after sheriff speculates that Stephen Paddock could have had assistance Las Vegas sheriff: gunman planned to survive and may have had help Las Vegas police said there was evidence gunman Stephen Paddock intended to survive and escape his deadly attack at a country music festival on Sunday, and revealed that he also rented an apartment overlooking another music festival that took place in the city the previous weekend. The disclosures were among several new details revealed by Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, who also strayed into speculation that the man believed responsible for the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history had help. Marilou Danley, girlfriend of Las Vegas gunman, saw 'no warning' of violence Read more “Do you think this was all accomplished on his own?” Lombardo asked, noting the arsenal of weapons the shooter amassed, and the discovery of explosives in his car. He added: “You’ve got to make the assumption he had to have some help at some point.” He said that the suspected killer, a 64-year-old retiree and gambler, rented a luxury room through Airbnb overlooking the Life is Beautiful music festival, another Las Vegas festival which occurred the week before the Route 91 Harvest music festival he eventually targeted. Lombardo also said he had seen evidence that Paddock may have intended to survive his killing spree from the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, which he used as a base for the attack. The sheriff did not say what the evidence was. The remarks were made at press conference that raised as many questions as it answered and suggested that, 72 hours after the attack, after extensively interviewing Paddock’s girlfriend, Marilou Danley, and examining his computers, investigators remain genuinely baffled about his motives. Paddock’s killing spree resulted in 58 victims and injured at least 489 people. The updated casualty numbers were the most recent given by authorities on Wednesday night. Lombardo had previously said law enforcement believed Paddock had perpetrated “a solo act”. But on Wednesday, he appeared to change his position. His speculation about the possibility Paddock was aided came after an exchange in which he conceded investigators had not been able to identify any “person of interest” other than Danley. He said investigators were, however, pressing to find others who may have been involved. It was possible that Paddock was “a super guy” who was “working out all of this on his own”, Lombardo said. But he added: “It would be hard for me to believe that.” The comment appeared to earn a veiled rebuke from the agent overseeing the FBI’s investigation. “Theories are great and everyone can have a theory,” said Aaron Rouse, who runs the bureau’s Las Vegas division, and took to the lectern immediately after the sheriff’s comments. “But I need to deal with facts. The sheriff needs to deal with facts.” He added: “He’s not going to make assumptions. I’m not going to make assumptions.” Facebook Twitter Pinterest A vigil in Newtown, Connecticut, remembering the 58 people killed in Sunday’s shooting in Las Vegas and calling for action on gun control. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Rouse said the FBI was working with “a number of theories”, but was not prepared to publicize them. Rouse was considerably more cautious in his remarks than the sheriff, refusing to reveal what Danley said after she returned to the US on Wednesday from the Philippines to be questioned by agents. The FBI agent declined even to say whether Danley remains “a person of interest”. Play Video 2:20 Girlfriend of Las Vegas gunman says she had no warning he was planning attack – video Danley, 62, released a statement after being interviewed by FBI agents, saying she had no idea of the massacre her partner was plotting when he sent her abroad to be with her family. Trump visits Las Vegas after attack: 'It’s a very, very sad day for me, personally' Read more “It never occurred to me in any way whatsoever that he was planning violence against anyone,” she said in a statement read out by her lawyer. “He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this was going to happen.” Lombardo, in another surprising remark, appeared to cast doubt over those comments when he said at the press conference: “Any person put in her situation would probably answer in the same way.” In addition to the sheriff’s speculation, there were also a handful of previously undisclosed facts revealed at the press conference, including new details about events in the days and hours leading up to the shooting. Lombardo said that Paddock had reserved a room via Airbnb at the Ogden luxury apartment complex, which overlooked the site of the Life is Beautiful festival, an event over the previous weekend that featured acts such as Gorillaz and Lorde. The sheriff did not say when the room was booked, and said he did not know “what was in his mind”. “Was he doing pre-surveillance?” he said. “We don’t know yet.” Play Video 1:33 Police release bodycam footage from officer at Las Vegas mass shooting – video Lombardo also revealed the crucial role played by a security guard, who helped locate Paddock, on the 32nd floor, just over 10 minutes after he began shooting at concertgoers. Paddock, who had set up multiple cameras outside his room to monitor the corridor, shot as many as 200 rounds through the door, injuring the guard. Swat teams did not penetrate the hotel suite Paddock was using for another hour, but Lombardo stressed that there were no unintended delays. “It was purposeful,” he said, explaining that police decided to take their time to clear surrounding rooms of guests when they realized Paddock had stopped firing. Upon entering the room, they discovered Paddock had killed himself. Lombardo also said they discovered several containers of explosives and 1,600 rounds of additional ammunition in his car. 1,516 mass shootings in 1,735 days: America's gun crisis – in one chart Read more Lombardo described Paddock, who he revealed was gambling at the casino hours before the attack, as a “disturbed and dangerous” man who had apparently led a “secret life” that left few clues about his actions. He confirmed that investigators were exploring whether there was some incident in October 2016 that would explain why, in the year that followed, he purchased some 33 new weapons. But he gave the impression that Las Vegas and the FBI have been left flummoxed by the case, saying Paddock did not appear to conform to the profile of other mass murderers. “We haven’t understood it yet,” he said. “You have to be patient with us.” \|\|\|\|\| This undated photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Marilou Danley. Danley, 62, returned to the United States from the Philippines on Tuesday night, Oct. 3, 2017, and was... (Associated Press) This undated photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Marilou Danley. Danley, 62, returned to the United States from the Philippines on Tuesday night, Oct. 3, 2017, and was met at Los Angeles International Airport by FBI agents, according to a law enforcement official. Authorities... (Associated Press) LAS VEGAS (AP) — The gunman behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history led a secret life that has so far thwarted investigators trying to figure out a motive for the attack. In an effort to try to crack Stephen Paddock's state of mind, the FBI spent hours on Wednesday interviewing his longtime girlfriend, who returned Tuesday from a weekslong overseas trip and said she had no inkling of the massacre he was plotting when he sent her to see family in her native Philippines. "He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this was going to happen," Marilou Danley, 62, said in a statement read by her lawyer outside FBI headquarters in Los Angeles. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said it's difficult to believe Paddock acted alone in the attack Sunday that killed 58 and injured nearly 500 people at a country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip. "Maybe he's a super guy," Lombardo said before catching himself and calling it the wrong word. "You know, a super yay-hoo that was working out all this on his own. But it would be hard for me to believe that." Danley, whom authorities had previously called "a person of interest," had been expected to provide insight into the mind of Paddock, a frustratingly opaque figure who carried out his high-rise massacre without leaving the plain-sight clues often found after major acts of bloodshed. Lombardo said Wednesday that Paddock had 1,600 rounds of ammunition and several containers of an explosive commonly used in target shooting that totaled 50 pounds (23 kilograms) in his car. But it wasn't clear what, if anything, Paddock planned with the explosives, he said. Paddock, who set up surveillance cameras in his room and to see anyone approaching outside, also had an escape plan, Lombardo said, though he fatally shot himself as police closed in on his luxury suite on the 32nd-floor of the Mandalay Bay resort casino. Lombardo declined to say what led authorities to believe he planned an escape. The previous weekend, Paddock had rented a high-rise condo in a building that overlooked the Life is Beautiful alternative music festival featuring Chance the Rapper, Muse, Lorde and Blink-182, said Lombardo, who offered no other details about what led Paddock there. On Sept. 28, the 64-year-old high-stakes gambler and real estate investor checked into Mandalay Bay and specifically requested an upper-floor room with a view of the Route 91 Harvest music festival, according to a person who has seen hotel records turned over to investigators. Paddock wasn't able to move into the room until Saturday, said the person, who was not authorized to speak publicly and disclosed the information to the AP on condition of anonymity. The room, which goes for $590, was given to Paddock for free because he was a good customer who wagered tens of thousands of dollars each time he visited the casino, the person said. Paddock wired $100,000 to the Philippines days before the shooting, said a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly because of the continuing investigation. Investigators are trying to trace that money. Danley, who was overseas for more than two weeks, said she was initially pleased when she was wired money from Paddock to buy a house for her family in the Philippines. But she later feared it was a way to break up with her. She said she loved Paddock as a "kind, caring, quiet man" and hoped they would have a future together. She said she was devastated by the carnage and would cooperate with authorities as they struggle to get inside Paddock's mind. While Paddock had a passion for high-stakes gambling at Nevada casinos, his game of choice was video poker, a relatively solitary pursuit with no dealer and no humans to play against. And while neighbors described Paddock as friendly, he wasn't close to them. "He was a private guy. That's why you can't find out anything about him," his brother Eric Paddock said from his home in Florida. As for what triggered the massacre, the brother said, "Something happened that drove him into the pit of hell." Paddock had no known criminal history. Public records contained no indication of any financial problems, and his brother described him as a wealthy real estate investor. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump met privately with victims at a Las Vegas hospital Wednesday and then with police officers and dispatchers, praising them and the doctors who treated the wounded. "Our souls are stricken with grief for every American who lost a husband or a wife, a mother or a father, a son or a daughter," he said. "We know that your sorrow feels endless. We stand together to help you carry your pain." ___ Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano and Michelle Price in Las Vegas; Jim Gomez and Teresa Cerojano in Manila, Philippines; Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles; and Richard Lardner, Eric Tucker, Sadie Gurman and Tami Abdollah in Washington contributed to this report. ___ For complete coverage of the Las Vegas shooting, click here: https://apnews.com/tag/LasVegasmassshooting . ___ This story has been corrected to show that the death toll is 58, not including the gunman, based on revised information from the Clark County coroner. \|\|\|\|\| Stephen Paddock planned to escape after the attack. Details of Paddock’s bloody rampage emerged Wednesday as investigators struggled to pinpoint a motive in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Authorities scoured the 64-year-old killer’s cell phone and electrical devices for clues as to why Paddock snapped after a fairly nondescript life with zero criminal history. “This individual and this attack didn’t leave the sort of immediately accessible thumbprints that you find on some mass-casualty attacks,” said FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. MAP: Mass shootings in the United States since 2013 Crime scene tape surrounds the Mandalay Hotel after Paddock's deadly rampage on Oct. 2. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) Law enforcement officials provided a glimpse into Paddock’s final moments in his killing nest on the 32nd-floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Officials said cameras placed on a food cart in the hallway and on the peephole of the hotel room door were not recording and a baby monitor camera was in the room, police said. He was likely monitoring foot traffic in the hallway. Sheriff Joseph Lombardo did not provide details, but said officials believe Paddock planned to survive and had made plans to escape following the carnage. Authorities continue searching for clues as to why Stephen Paddock carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. (HANDOUT/REUTERS) Officials said Paddock purchased 33 weapons since October 2016 — most of them rifles. About two dozen weapons were found inside the room where he fired down on a crowd of 22,000. Girlfriend of Las Vegas killer breaks her silence At least 58 people were killed. More than 500 were injured — shot, hit by shrapnel or trampled by terrified concertgoers. The deranged shooter targeted a pair of massive jet fuel tanks at nearby McCarran International Airport, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Mass shooting at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas Paddock also fired more than 200 rounds at a security guard in the hallway before shooting himself to death just as police closed in. Miraculously, the guard survived. Paddock, a self-made millionaire and the son of a bank robber, had a prescription for the anxiety-fighting drug Valium filled just four months ago, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported. Gun seller is ‘physically ill’ knowing he helped Las Vegas gunman Paddock received a doctor’s prescription for 50 tablets of 10 milligrams each, the paper said. Guns And Guitars, a store where Stephen Paddock purchased his guns. (DOSE, WAGO, VIMU, EDPI/DUNKIND / WAGO / VM / LALO / BAC) The recent rash of gun purchases brought Paddock’s arsenal to a total of 47 since 1982. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent-in-Charge Jill Snyder said the volume of gun buys would not sound alarm bells at her agency. Only transactions where two or more handguns are sold at once appear on their radar. “We wouldn’t get notified of the purchase of the rifles,” said Snyder during a “CBS This Morning” appearance. “There’s no federal law requiring that.” A dozen of his guns were fitted with bump stocks, allowing the gunman to fire rifles almost as if they were automatic — unleashing massive amounts of mayhem in a short time. The rifle magazines used by Paddock held anywhere from 60 to 100 bullets each, Snyder told CBS News, cutting back on his need to keep reloading. Officials also revealed Wednesday that Paddock had rented a room through Airbnb at the Ogden hotel in downtown Las Vegas during another music festival a week before the massacre. Sign up for BREAKING NEWS Emails privacy policy Thanks for subscribing! \|\|\|\|\| Image copyright Reuters/Paddock family/CBS News Image caption US police have said the woman, a former casino employee, was living with Paddock in Nevada The girlfriend of the Las Vegas gunman who shot dead 58 people on Sunday has said she had no idea what her "kind, caring, quiet" partner was planning. Marilou Danley's comments came hours before police suggested Stephen Paddock had been living "a secret life". They said he may have been planning to escape instead of shooting himself dead, but did not give further details. It is not yet known why he opened fire on an open-air concert, committing the worst shooting in modern US history. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told a press conference that: Police had found more explosives in Paddock's car at the hotel, along with about 1,600 rounds of ammunition Paddock had been gambling just hours before he began shooting He had booked into an apartment at the high-rise Ogden in downtown Las Vegas a week earlier during a different open-air festival where acts including Muse, Lorde and Blink-182 were due to play But he said Paddock's motivations and whether there were any possible accomplices remained a mystery. The FBI's Aaron Rouse said so far no link to terrorism had been found but they would continue to "look at all avenues" without "closing any doors" because it was "an ongoing investigation". "We don't understand it yet," Sheriff Lombardo told reporters, but questioned whether he could have accomplished his plan by himself. "You've got to make the assumption he had to have some help at some point," he said. Ms Danley, who spoke to the FBI on Wednesday, expressed shock at the "horrible unspeakable acts of violence" Paddock had committed. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption How the horror unfolded - in two minutes Paddock "never said anything to me or took any action" which she understood as a warning of what was to come, she said in a statement read by her lawyer. Ms Danley added: "I loved him and hoped for a quiet future together." US authorities named Ms Danley a "person of interest" in their investigation and said they had made contact with her shortly after the shooting. Ms Danley voluntarily flew back to Los Angeles from the Philippines on Tuesday night to speak to the FBI, just over two weeks after Paddock had surprised her with a "cheap ticket" to enable her to visit her family. While there, he wired her $100,000 (£75,400), explaining it was to buy a house. "I was grateful, but honestly I was worried it was a way for him to break up with me," she said. "It never occurred to me in any way whatsoever that he was planning violence against anyone." Her sister earlier told Australian outlet 7News that Ms Danley "was sent away... so that she will not be there to interfere with what he's planning". Paddock checked into a suite in the Mandalay Bay Hotel on 28 September, reportedly using some of Ms Danley's identity documents. US President Donald Trump, who visited the city on Wednesday, said "America is truly a nation in mourning" in the wake of the mass killings. Hundreds of people were injured in the attack. President Trump praised the emergency services who battled to save as many as they could, despite the danger to themselves. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption How US mass shootings are getting worse "When the worst of humanity strikes - and strike it did - the best of humanity responds," he said as he applauded injured officers. "In the depths of horror, we will always find hope in the men and women who risk their lives for ours," he added. Mr Trump said he was in the "company of heroes" after visiting the first responders. "Words cannot describe the bravery that the whole world witnessed on Sunday night," he said. "Americans defied death and hatred with love and with courage." Will the attack prompt more demand for gun control? The shooting has prompted calls for reform to US gun laws. But Mr Trump - who has been backed by the National Rifle Association, and spoke often of protecting gun rights during his campaign - has tried to steer clear of leaning too far either way. After visiting Puerto Rico on Tuesday, he said "perhaps that [time] will come" for a debate. Read more: Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption What's Donald Trump said about guns and gun control? First Lady Melania Trump joined the president to meet some of the victims and emergency responders on Wednesday. Mr Trump told reporters at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas: "I have to tell you it makes you very proud to be an American when you see the job that they've done." Image copyright Reuters Image caption Air Force One leaves Las Vegas, passing the broken windows of the hotel the gunman attacked from The president was joined by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Nevada congressman Mark Amodei and Nevada Senator Dean Heller, who had constituents killed in the attack. \|\|\|\|\| Read the latest on the Las Vegas shooting with Thursday’s live updates. A familiar pattern often emerges as the authorities investigate a mass shooting: speculation in online forums that one person couldn’t have possibly committed this act alone. Law enforcement officials have stated multiple times that, at this point, they believe that Stephen Paddock, who killed at least 58 and himself and wounded hundreds on Sunday night in Las Vegas, was the only gunman. (Still, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Wednesday that “it was troublesome that he was able to move this much gear into the hotel unassisted.”) Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department explicitly addressed the issue on Monday night: “I want to emphasize we believe Paddock is solely responsible for this heinous act. We are aware of the rumors outside of the media and also on social media that there was more than one assailant. We have no information or evidence to support that theory or that rumor. We believe there was only one shooter and that was Stephen Paddock.” A History of Speculation Similar rumor mongering has emerged in the wake of previous mass shootings. The morning after a gunman opened fire at a nightclub in Orlando, the police dispelled the rumor that he had accomplices. Some falsely believe the Sandy Hook shooting was staged and seized upon a mysterious “man in the woods” as proof of an additional conspirator. The man was searching for his daughter, a student at the elementary school.	– Stephen Paddock planned to make a getaway after massacring scores of people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, police say. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters Wednesday night that the gunman, who killed himself as police closed in, appears to have had an escape plan, though he didn't elaborate, the New York Daily News reports. Lombardo also told reporters that he found it hard to believe that Paddock didn't have some kind of help. "Maybe he's a super guy," he said, sarcastically, per the AP. "You know, a super yay-hoo [who] was working out all this on his own. But it would be hard for me to believe that." In other developments: Lombardo said Paddock was a "disturbed and dangerous" man who apparently lived a "secret life" over the last decade, the Las Vegas Sun reports. He said the secrecy was making it difficult to determine a motive for the shooting. Lombardo told reporters that Paddock had been gambling just hours before he carried out the mass shooting, the BBC reports. He said that according to the latest casualty figures, Paddock killed 58 people and injured at least 489. The chief of the FBI's Las Vegas division addressed reporters after Lombardo and seemed to rebuke him for saying he was sure others were involved, the Guardian reports. "Theories are great and everyone can have a theory," said Aaron Rouse. "But I need to deal with facts. The sheriff needs to deal with facts." The New York Times has done a fact check on rumors that more than one shooter was involved. Paddock was not among the highest rollers in Las Vegas, but he was well known in the city's casinos and was rewarded for his loyalty with perks like free hotel rooms, including the Mandalay Bay suite he carried out his shooting rampage from, the New York Times reports. Police have also confirmed that the weekend before the mass shooting, Paddock rented a room through Airbnb at Las Vegas' Ogden hotel, which overlooked the Life Is Beautiful alternative music festival. Paddock apparently targeted jet fuel tanks as well as the Route 91 Harvest music fest, sources tell the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He fired at tanks on airport property around 1,100 feet away from his hotel room and penetrated at least one with a bullet, the sources say. Analysts, however, say jet fuel isn't so easy to ignite. "A machine gun is not going to blow up a tank of fuel," says an aviation analyst. "Jet fuel itself sitting there in a big wet pile is very hard to ignite. You have to be a very amateur terrorist to think anything like that." (Marilou Danley, Paddock's girlfriend, issued her first public statement Wednesday.)
MOVIE REVIEW 'After.Life' Christina Ricci and Liam Neeson star in a thriller that's better off dead. The undertaker in question is Neeson's Eliot Deacon, who fills his time discussing the value of life with the soon-to-be deceased while draining blood from bodies, repairing holes with large surgical needles, and working on floral arrangements for the After.Party (or funeral, if you prefer). The body he's spending the most time with is Ricci's Anna, who despite the car accident, the gash on her head, the cold slab under her bum and the coroner's report Eliot's waving in her face, doesn't believe she's a goner. The afterlife is not, however, nearly as deadly or as ghastly as the movie itself, an undertaking so tortured that it digs a deeper grave with every passing scene. It's where the not-quite dead exist before they finally cease to, specifically a cold back room in a ghastly funeral home somewhere in the Midwest. According to "After.Life," which stars Christina Ricci and Liam Neeson, it takes a human being about four days to stop being, depending on scheduling and how long the undertaker wants to chat. That conundrum is the film's central conceit, and it's Eliot's job to get her (and us) to believe, and frankly he's fed up with debating the facts of life with yet another ungrateful corpse. After all, Anna might not be in this predicament if she hadn't been texting while she was driving. At night. In the rain. Except for the crash and the whole texting incident, most of the action here has to do with clothes, which may make the man but not the movie, which is neither horrific enough to scare, nor psychologically thrilling enough to even register a pulse. And whatever fun there is to be found, and there were hoots aplenty, it's of the "laughing at, not with" variety. But back to the clothes. With Anna, there's her dress to cut off, revealing a silky red slip that will also be slowly removed (red is the primary color abused here). Eventually she's naked, which she is for about half of the film, and dead, which she must be because there are no goose-bumps on that bare body even though Eliot makes a big deal of turning down the thermostat every other scene. Most of the movie, writer-director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo's unfortunate first feature shot in late 2008, unfolds in the moments after Eliot's been interrupted. And he gets interrupted a lot, usually by a tearful relative (in one case, a cop who cops a feel of Anna after saying goodbyes to a brother on a slab nearby. Gallows humor, I guess.). Meanwhile, poor Justin Long. He's Paul, Anna's very sad boyfriend, a character Long seems to be playing a lot these days (remember "Drag Me to Hell"?). I say poor Justin Long because he's one of the few putting any life into their role, though the dialogue is so obvious there's not much to work with. When Anna wonders during one of her conversations with Eliot whether she's actually in hell, it's tempting to scream, "Yes, Anna, you are, and you're not alone." (The filmmaker shares writing credit with Paul Vosloo and Jakub Korolczuk.) Anastas N. Michos, who created the bluesy mood of "Cadillac Records," is the director of photography and working with Wojtowicz-Vosloo created a look that showed some promise, a kind of arty minimalism where even the tools of the undertaking trade are beautiful in the right light. But just as it gets intriguing, it goes ridiculously rogue, and red, as in blood red, get it? betsy.sharkey@latimes.com \|\|\|\|\| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. \|\|\|\|\| After.Life (R) Ebert: Users: Liam Neeson in "After.Life." After.Life BY ROGER EBERT / April 7, 2010 April 7, 2010 Cast & Credits Eliot Deacon Liam Neeson Anna Taylor Christina Ricci Paul Coleman Justin Long Jack Chandler Canterbury Capt. Henderson Josh Charles Anna's mother Celia Weston presents a film directed by Agnieska Wojtowicz-Vosloo. Screenplay by Wojtowicz-Vosloo, Paul Vosloo and Jakub Korolczuk. Running time: 118 minutes. MPAA rating: R for nudity, disturbing images, language and brief sexuality. Printer-friendly » E-mail this to a friend » "You people!" says Eliot Deacon sadly, and with a touch of frustration. He is referring to the dead. They are whiners. They're not ready to die, they've got unfinished business, there are things they still desire, the death certificate is mistaken, and on and on and on. Deacon, as a mortician, has to put up with this. Take Anna as an example. She drove away from a disastrous dinner with her boyfriend, was speeding on a rainy night, and was killed in a crash. Now here she is on a porcelain slab in his prep room, telling him there's been some mistake. Deacon tries to reason with her. He even shows her the coroner's signature on the death certificate. But no. She's alive, as he can clearly see. Besides, if he's so sure she's dead, why does he carefully lock the door from the outside whenever he leaves the room? "After.Life" is a strange movie that never clearly declares whether Anna (Christina Ricci) is dead or alive. Well, not alive in the traditional sense, but alive in a sort of middle state between life and death. Her body is presumably dead. She has no pulse, and we assume her blood has been replaced by embalming fluid. Yet she protests, argues, can sit up and move around. Is Deacon (Liam Neeson) the only one who can see this? Maybe he's fantasizing? No, the little boy Jack (Chandler Canterbury) sees her too, through a window. Jack tells her boyfriend Paul (Justin Long). He believes it. He's had a great deal of difficulty accepting her death. He still has the engagement ring he planned to offer her on that fateful night. He tries to break into the funeral home. He causes a scene at the police station. He sounds like a madman to them. Christina Ricci in "After.Life." Enlarge Image) From ours? The director, Agnieska Wojtowicz-Vosloo, says audiences split about half and half. That's how I split. Half of me seizes on evidence that she's still alive, and the other half notices how the film diabolically undercuts all that evidence. I think the correct solution is: Anna is a character in a horror film that leaves her state deliberately ambiguous. Neeson's performance as Deacon is ambiguous but sincere. He has been working with these people for years. He explains he has the "gift" of speaking with them. And little Jack, the eyewitness? Oh, but Deacon thinks he has the gift, too. So once again, you don't know what to believe. Perhaps the gift is supernatural, or perhaps it's madness or a delusion. The film has many of the classic scenes of horror movies set in mortuaries. The chilling stainless steel paraphernalia. The work late at night. The moonlit graveyard. The burial. The Opened Grave. Even her desperate nails shredding the lining inside the coffin -- although we see that from Anna's POV and no one else's. I think, in a way, the film short-changes itself by not coming down on one side or the other. As it stands, it's a framework for horror situations but cannot be anything deeper. Yes, we can debate it endlessly -- but pointlessly, because there is no solution. We can enjoy the suspense of the opening scenes, and some of the drama. The performances are in keeping with the material. But toward the end, when we realize that the entire reality of the film is problematical, there is a certain impatience. It's as if our chain is being yanked. "After.Life" is a horror film involving the familiar theme of being alive when the world thinks you're dead. It couples that with a possibility that has chilled me ever since the day when, at far too young an age, I pulled down Poe from my dad's bookshelf, looked at the Table of Contents, and turned straight to "The Premature Burial." From her point of view, she's still alive when the earth starts thudding on the coffin. From Deacon's point of view? Yes, I think from his POV too.From ours? The director, Agnieska Wojtowicz-Vosloo, says audiences split about half and half. That's how I split. Half of me seizes on evidence that she's still alive, and the other half notices how the film diabolically undercuts all that evidence. I think the correct solution is: Anna is a character in a horror film that leaves her state deliberately ambiguous.Neeson's performance as Deacon is ambiguous but sincere. He has been working with these people for years. He explains he has the "gift" of speaking with them. And little Jack, the eyewitness? Oh, but Deacon thinks he has the gift, too. So once again, you don't know what to believe. Perhaps the gift is supernatural, or perhaps it's madness or a delusion.The film has many of the classic scenes of horror movies set in mortuaries. The chilling stainless steel paraphernalia. The work late at night. The moonlit graveyard. The burial. The Opened Grave. Even her desperate nails shredding the lining inside the coffin -- although we see that from Anna's POV and no one else's.I think, in a way, the film short-changes itself by not coming down on one side or the other. As it stands, it's a framework for horror situations but cannot be anything deeper. Yes, we can debate it endlessly -- but pointlessly, because there is no solution. We can enjoy the suspense of the opening scenes, and some of the drama. The performances are in keeping with the material. But toward the end, when we realize that the entire reality of the film is problematical, there is a certain impatience. It's as if our chain is being yanked. \|\|\|\|\| Anna Taylor is a pleasant young schoolteacher with a bad habit of not putting on her seat belt and then driving very fast. In the rain. When upset. And while dialing somebody on her cell phone. So it shouldn’t be any surprise when this public service-announcement-in-the-making wakes up one day on a mortuary slab. Anchor Bay (102 min.) Directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo. With, Justin Long. Now playing in New York. Stephen Whitty's review: ONE AND A HALF STARS Except that’s just it. She actually wakes up. Only to find the mortician there, ready to start painting her face and getting her ready for eternal rest. But wait, she protests, I’m not dead yet! “You’re a corpse, Anna,” he snaps. “Nobody cares what you think.” That’s a funny line, and with a few more like it, After.Life” (the dot.com punctuation is absurd and unexplained) could have turned into a fair, Monty Pythonesque black comedy. But instead the whole thing takes itself so seriously it’s practically embalmed. More Stephen Whitty Well, actually star Liam Neeson takes it the most seriously, imbuing his role as the mortician with a kind of existential gravity. He actually seems to have convinced himself that he’s in some rare, rediscovered Beckett play — Krapp’s Last Autopsy. As the girl on the slab, though — and as the floppy-haired fiancé in search of her — Christina Ricci and Justin Long seem to be approaching this as just another horror movie. Which is probably closer to the truth. It is just another horror movie; in fact, it’s a couple. There’s a spooky little boy who sees dead people (“The Sixth Sense”), an is-she-dead-or-isn’t-she story line out of “Carnival of Souls” and even some melodrama straight from “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” — juiced up with lots of dark-and-stormy-night clichés. Plus, Ricci in a tiny red slip, running around a spooky old funeral home. Ooh, pretty scary, eh kids? Well, no, not really — unless you find something frightening about good actors turning out this sort of claptrap. Or a producer actually getting funding for something that might have been memorable as a 15-minute student short — but has been dragged out into over an hour and a half of gratuitous nudity, sharp objects and “You’re dead!”/“No, I’m not!” back-and-forth. Neeson’s right — something’s definitely deceased here. But it’s the whole picture. And a swift interment on DVD and late-night cable seems in the best interest of everyone. Rating note: The film contains nudity, sexual situations, alcohol abuse and violence.	– Critics are absolutely burying After.Life, a dull horror flick about a woman who may be dead. And no, the stupid dot in the title is never explained. Here’s what they’re saying: What seems like it ought to be a vaguely silly movie “takes itself so seriously it’s practically embalmed,” writes Stephen Whitty of the Star-Ledger. Liam Neeson in particular “seems to have convinced himself that he’s in some rare, rediscovered Beckett play—Krapp’s Last Autopsy.” Is Christina Ricci's character dead or alive? You can debate it endlessly, writes Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I think the correct solution is: Anna is a character in a horror film that leaves her state deliberately ambiguous.” The movie’s “neither horrific enough to scare, nor psychologically thrilling enough to even register a pulse,” writes Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times. At one point, Anna wonders aloud if she’s in hell. “It’s tempting to scream, ‘Yes, Anna, and you’re not alone.’” But if nothing else, give Ricci credit, writes Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly. “She has to operate, unfazed, in close-up nakedness much of the time, while the camera practically licks her pale skin.”
When Noel Molina smells trash, he smells money. Lots of it. Molina and his co-worker, Tony Sankar, have been picking trash together for a decade in New York City. They've seen, and smelled, it all. Stale fish, footlong rats, dead pigs and cows. Countless drunks have heckled them. And yes, one time Sankar saw a human leg in a dumpster. They work the graveyard shift -- 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. -- rain or shine, ice cold or burning hot. And yet, they love their job. Part of the reason is they get paid well for their hard work. "Your trash is my money," Molina, 32, says with a baby-faced grin. Molina made $112,000 last year as a garbage truck driver and Sankar made $100,000 as a helper, riding on the back of the truck. Their wages have grown in eight of the last nine years, according to their bosses, brothers David and Jerry Antonacci, owners of Crown Container, a waste management company. Related: Workers' rage over move to Mexico caught on video Molina dropped out of high school in the 10th grade and he's worked at Crown for 10 years. He says his starting salary was about $80,000. Sankar too dropped out of school before migrating to the U.S. from Guyana 20 years ago. Not everyone makes six figures, but most trash workers are doing better than high school dropouts and even graduates. Nationwide, the annual salary for a garbage truck driver is $40,000, according to the Labor Department. Across all professions, high school dropouts earn about $24,000, while high school graduates make $30,000 annually, according to the U.S. Education Department. Molina and Sankar are aware that they outearn many people with a college degree. Guys who go to college might not make the kind of money "(I make) on the back of a garbage truck, picking up trash," says Sankar. Related: The $100k job: Be an apprentice Not only do they earn a good salary, their wages are growing faster than the average too. Nationwide, wages for trash workers have grown 18%, which is a lot faster than the 14% average for all workers since the recession ended in June 2009. That's because it's not easy to find workers in the business. Employers can't find qualified truck drivers, landfill operators or mechanics. David Antonacci says he got 50 applications when he advertised for a truck driver's job. Only four applicants had a commercial drivers license and all four had penalties on their licenses. So Antonacci couldn't hire any of them. Related: Yelp CEO responds to employee letter on low wages That lack of available talent is one key reason why Antonacci and others in the industry have given out raises at a faster pace than the national average. It's the same story in other parts of the country. Kathy Morris runs a waste management facility in Davenport, Iowa, and she's raised wages to retain employees. "Not only has the demand for workers increased but (so have) the types of skills," says Morris, director of the Waste Commission of Scott County. The landfill operators at her site make about $50,000 a year. Related: British oil industry warns it may collapse It's far from an easy job. Beyond the stench, Molina and Sankar lift heavy trash bags every night, weave through traffic, and talk to each other constantly for safety. They work a lot too -- 55 to 60 hours a week. Outside of physically grueling work, negative stigmas deter young adults from applying even though the barrier for entry isn't high: private trash companies don't require a high school diploma. Truck drivers need a commercial drivers license, which some employers will train employees for. But there's job security, says David Biderman, executive director of Solid Waste Association of North America, the association that represents thousands of waste management workers. Biderman argues the waste industry offers long-term job security for working class folks. Both Molina and Sankar have full health care coverage and a 401(k) retirement account. If they leave the job, they are entitled to severance pay too. Related: Why you should worry about cheap oil "We're one of the very few blue collar jobs that can't be outsourced to China," he says. There are also new opportunities in trash. New types of recycling have created more jobs. At Morris' site in Iowa, she has a crew that only separate recycling for wood, roof shingles, kitchen appliances and electronics. Morris has 45 employees now, up from 35 in 2009. Morris plans to hire six more people this year to handle a new recycling system. Nationally, there are 50,000 more trash workers today than there were in 2010, according to Labor Department data. Given the shortage of workers, some of them can hope to earn the six-figure salaries of Molina and Sankar, who are members of a labor union that helps negotiate higher salaries. Related: 1 million Walmart workers get a raise Molina is buying his first house, a 4-bedroom in Freeport, New York. Divorced with three kids, Molina wants them to have a place outside the city. Sankar, 48, supports eight of his nine kids -- the oldest is an adult. On a cold February night, Sankar and Molina were on their route when a young man asked Sankar if Crown was hiring. Sankar gave the young man the company's address and said to call. When told how much Sankar makes, the young man was in disbelief: "No, I wouldn't believe that." Sankar picked up the last bag at the site, chucked it into the back, jumped onto the truck and smiled. "It's a good paying job," said Sankar, laughing into the winter night. \|\|\|\|\| Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017 53-7081 Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck. National estimates for this occupation: Top Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation: Employment (1) Employment RSE (3) Mean hourly wage Mean annual wage (2) Wage RSE (3) 115,130 1.6 % $18.71 $38,920 1.1 % Percentile wage estimates for this occupation: Percentile 10% 25% 50% (Median) 75% 90% Hourly Wage $10.30 $13.12 $17.39 $22.90 $30.15 Annual Wage (2) $21,420 $27,300 $36,160 $47,640 $62,720 Industry profile for this occupation: Top Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function. Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation: Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation: Top paying industries for this occupation: Geographic profile for this occupation: Top States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function. States with the highest employment level in this occupation: State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2) California 13,020 0.78 0.97 $24.93 $51,860 New York 8,900 0.97 1.20 $27.06 $56,280 Texas 8,440 0.71 0.88 $16.39 $34,090 Florida 5,540 0.66 0.81 $17.05 $35,470 Ohio 4,850 0.90 1.12 $17.37 $36,130 States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation: Top paying States for this occupation: Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation: Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation: Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation: Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation: Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation: Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation: About May 2017 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files. The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages. (1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers. (2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data. (3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate. (8) Estimate not released. (9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average. Other OES estimates and related information: May 2017 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates May 2017 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates May 2017 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates May 2017 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates May 2017 Occupation Profiles Technical Notes	– No one wants to be a doctor in New Zealand for $267,000 a year, but getting paid $100,000 to sift through giant rats, dead animals, and even human body parts is right up Noel Molina and Tony Sankar's alley. Both men made six figures as NYC garbage collectors last year (Molina $112,000 as a driver, Sankaer $100,000 as a helper), complete with health insurance and a 401(k), CNNMoney reports. And although not all trash workers rack up those kind of bucks, most enjoy a higher salary than not only many high school dropouts (with median earnings in 2013 of about $24,000, per the Department of Ed), but many high school grads ($30,000) and even some college grads ($48,500 for those with a bachelor's degree). Per the Department of Labor, the median annual wage for "refuse and recyclable materials collectors" is $33,600, with those in the top 10% pulling in $58,590. And if you're in a high-paying state, those wages are even more: In New York, for example, the annual mean wage is $52,570, or just over $25 per hour. To be sure, Molina and Sanka earn that paycheck: They work 55 to 60 hours a week from 7pm to 3am, do lots of heavy lifting in unsafe environments and all sorts of weather, and deal with stuff no one else would want to (that human body part: a leg Sankar spotted in a dumpster). And some people feel there's still a stigma attached to handling trash. But it's a relatively easy field to get into: There's no high school diploma needed for many private companies, and firms will often train for the commercial license required to drive a truck. Plus industry wages have been consistently rising, qualified workers are in demand, and there's plenty of job security. "We're one of the very few blue-collar jobs that can't be outsourced to China," the director of the Solid Waste Association of North America says. (Garbage collectors are even considered to be "green" occupations.)
Former Vice President Joe Biden said his family would be the deciding factor in his decision about whether to pursue a 2020 bid for the White House. \| Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP 2020 Biden: 'I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president' Former Vice President Joe Biden is fueling more 2020 speculation, claiming that he is "the most qualified person in the country to be president" and teasing that an announcement about his candidacy could come within six weeks. Biden has been flirting with another presidential run after deciding not to seek the highest office in 2016, a decision he has said he regrets every day. But his remarks Monday evening at the University of Montana in Missoula, where he was promoting his book "Promise Me, Dad," suggested the wheels of a White House bid may already be in motion. Story Continued Below "I'll be as straight with you as I can. I think I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president," Biden said, according to CNN. "I've been doing this my whole adult life, and the issues that are the most consequential relating to the plight of the middle class and our foreign policy are things that I have — even my critics would acknowledge, I may not be right, but I know a great deal about it." Biden has openly sparred with President Donald Trump over the past two years, trading barbs with the commander in chief and casting himself as a foil to what he sees as a democracy-eroding force in the West Wing. But Biden also admitted he had some vulnerabilities, including his age and his co-sponsorship of the 1994 crime bill. COUNTDOWN TO 2020 The race for 2020 starts now. Stay in the know. Follow our presidential election coverage. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. "I am a gaffe machine, but my God, what a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can't tell the truth," he said. "I'm ready to litigate all those things. The question is, what kind of nation are we becoming? What are we going to do? Who are we?" Democratic strategists say he would also be forced to confront his mishandling of the 1991 Anita Hill hearings involving sexual harassment allegations against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, when Biden chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee. “It’s not going to be something he can charm out of. I think in 2018, you can’t just smile it away," Toi Hutchinson, an Illinois state senator who launched a #MeToo awareness effort in the state, said earlier this year. Biden's simpatico bonds with the Democratic Party and his appeal to white working-class voters in the Midwest appear to be his clearest advantages in navigating what is shaping up to be one of the most crowded primary fields on the left. But Biden said his family would be the deciding factor. "I have two young grandchildren my son left who love me and adore me and want me around. I want to be there to take care of them, so we've got to figure out whether or not this is something we can all do as a family," he said. "We're going to make that decision in the next six weeks to two months." \|\|\|\|\| (CNN) During a stop for his book tour in Missoula, Montana, Monday night, former Vice President Joe Biden discussed his 2020 prospects, saying he believes that he is the "most qualified person" to be president, noting a decision is coming in the next two months, and acknowledging he's a "gaffe machine." "I'll be as straight with you as I can. I think I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president," Biden said to applause at the University of Montana. "The issues that we face as a country today are the issues that have been in my wheelhouse, that I've worked on my whole life." "No one should run for the job unless they believe that they would be qualified doing the job. I've been doing this my whole adult life, and the issues that are the most consequential relating to the plight of the middle class and our foreign policy are things that I have -- even my critics would acknowledge, I may not be right but I know a great deal about it," he added. Biden said his family must now decide as a "unit" whether or not they're prepared for a run -- setting a decision time frame of the next six weeks to two months. "I have two young grandchildren my son left who love me and adore me and want me around. I want to be there to take care of them, so we've got to figure out whether or not this is something we can all do as a family," he said. "We're going to make that decision in the next six weeks to two months, and that's the basis of the decision." Read More	– Joe Biden says he knows who should be the next president: himself. But the former VP says he's not ready to commit to a 2020 run. The comments came Monday during a stop in Montana to plug his book Promise Me, Dad, reports CNN. "I'll be as straight with you as I can," Biden told the crowd at the University of Montana in Missoula. "I think I'm the most qualified person in the country to be president." He said two big issues of the day—"the plight of the middle class and our foreign policy"—were his strong suits. "Even my critics would acknowledge, I may not be right but I know a great deal about it." Biden said he would decide in the next two months whether to run, with one factor being the time he's currently able to spend with his two young grandchildren from his late son, Beau. Event moderator Bruce Feiler pointed out some potential weaknesses, including Biden's age of 76, his chairmanship of the judiciary panel that grilled Anita Hill, and his propensity to be a "gaffe machine." Politico reports that party strategists say Biden would have to confront the Anita Hill controversy in particular. Biden insisted Monday that he's "ready to litigate all those things," before taking a shot at President Trump. "I am a gaffe machine," he said, "but my God, what a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can't tell the truth. (Hill's family has a running joke about Biden.)
Jody Herring, charged with killing DCF worker Lara Sobel, is seen at her court arraignment last week with Washington County Sheriff Sam Hill. (Photo: Toby Talbot/Times Argus via AP, Pool) BARRE – Murder suspect Jody Herring developed a "hit list" and moved methodically through a Berlin farmhouse where she fatally shot three relatives before driving to Barre to kill a state social worker, new court papers show. Herring, 40, of South Barre used the same rifle, stolen from her former boyfriend, to kill all four victims in a dispute about child custody, according to a sworn statement outlining three more murder charges the suspect now faces. Court papers say Herring's "hit list" included the names of several of the victims, the former boyfriend told investigators. Killed were Lara Sobel, 48, of East Montpelier, a veteran Department for Children and Families social worker, and three of Herring's relatives: Regina Herring, 43, Rhonda Herring, 48, and Julie Ann Falzarano, 73. The bodies of Herring's relatives were found Aug. 8, the day after Sobel was slain outside her office in Barre. Prosecutors concluded Jody Herring arrived at the farmhouse Aug. 7 with the intent of killing her relatives. "The scene suggests Rhonda Herring, Regina Herring and Julie Falzarano were murdered in a deliberate and purposeful fashion," reads an affidavit written by Vermont State Police Detective Sgt. Todd Baxter. "It is reasonable to believe ... that Jody progressed room to room within the residence located at 3168 Airport Rd. Berlin, Vt., murdering Rhonda, Regina and Julie individually within a short period of time," Baxter wrote in the 12-page document, made public Friday. Baxter's sworn account of what transpired was filed in court to support three charges of aggravated murder — the most serious murder charges under Vermont law. Conviction is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Court papers show a judge found probable cause for the charges. Aggravated murder in this case means committing more than one killing as part of the same crime. Herring intends to plead not guilty when she is arraigned Tuesday in Vermont Superior Court in Barre, defense lawyer David Sleigh told the Burlington Free Press. Sleigh said the state filed the charges late Thursday afternoon. The Attorney General's Office, which is leading the prosecution, provided him a copy of the charging documents at about 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sleigh added. He had yet to review the paperwork with Herring. "Based on what I've been told, I certainly expected these charges would be filed," Sleigh said. "We'll enter a plea of not guilty on Tuesday and let the process take care of itself." Bystanders disarmed Herring and restrained her after Sobel, a mother of two, was ambushed Aug. 7 as she left her Barre office building for the weekend. Court papers described Herring as calm and laughing while officers processed her at the Barre police station. Baxter wrote in his affidavit that Herring became agitated when police attempted to question her and hinted at the undiscovered carnage at the Berlin farmhouse six miles away. "Did you find the other three yet?" Herring, laughing, said to a pair of detectives who were questioning her. Not until morning would police discover the killings of Herring's three relatives. The only charge related to the killings that had been filed against Herring before Thursday was a single count of first-degree murder related to the slaying of Sobel, who was shot twice. Buy Photo Lara Sobel, 48, of East Montpelier is seen in this family photo shared on Facebook by the Vermont State Employees Association. Sobel, a Department for Children and Families social worker, was shot and killed Aug. 7 as she left her office in Barre. Police say she was ambushed by a mother who was angry about losing custody of her daughter. (Photo: ADAM SILVERMAN/FREE PRESS) The authorities say Herring was angry at losing custody of her 9-year-old daughter in July, a case in which Sobel had been involved. Herring pleaded not guilty at arraignment Aug. 10 at Vermont Superior Court in Barre and is jailed without bail. The authorities had named Herring as the only suspect in the other three killings and said consistently that more charges were possible. Regina and Rhonda Herring were sisters, and Falzarano was their mother. The younger women were cousins of Jody Herring. Falzarano was her aunt. Police trace rifle The affidavit that outlines the new charges discusses how Herring came into possession of the Remington Model 700 rifle police say was used in the killings. According to court papers, Vermont State Police investigators determined Herring stole the rifle from her former boyfriend, Henry Premont. The 51-year-old Premont told police he ended his relationship with Herring a day or two before the killings. He said he came home from work Aug. 7 to discover the rifle missing from his Williamstown apartment. Premont confirmed to police, the affidavit states, that the serial number on the rifle seized at the scene of Sobel's slaying in Barre matched the serial number for his Remington. Firearms technicians concluded shell casings recovered by police at the Berlin and Barre crime scenes came from the same gun. The investigation also determined Herring earlier this year attempted to purchase a gun from two firearms dealers: R+L Archery in Barre City and Mid State Sports in Randolph. Both dealers denied Herring after conducting a mandatory background check. Henry Premont, 51, of Williamstown talks with attorney Maggie Vincent in a Washington County courtroom Thursday. Premont pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. (Photo: MORGAN TRUE/VT Digger, pool) According to court papers, Herring's previous criminal convictions bar her from owning or possessing a firearm under the federal Brady Act. Police interviews with Premont also shed more light on why Herring might have targeted Sobel. Court papers state that Premont told police Herring mentioned Sobel's name in conversation "on several occasions." Premont told police he had seen a "hit list" that Herring had written months before the killings. The list contained, according to Premont, the names of Regina Herring and Rhonda Herring; Jody's mother, Jenella; Janella's husband, Ken; and possibly Dwayne Herring, Jody's brother. Premont is facing unrelated charges after authorities say he engaged in an armed standoff with police Aug. 12 in Barre. He pleaded not guilty. Law-enforcement authorities say Premont was acting as though he wanted police to shoot him and demanded to see Herring. He was taken into custody unharmed. Shooting time line Buy Photo Jody Herring is led into Vermont Superior Court in Barre on Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, for arraignment on a murder charge relating to the killing of state social worker Lara Sobel. Herring now faces three more murder charges arising from the shootings of three relatives. (Photo: GLENN RUSSELL/FREE PRESS FILE) The affidavit discloses a more complete time line of when law enforcement believes the slayings occurred. Sobel was killed outside the Barre City Place office building at about 4:45 p.m. Aug. 7. Herring was arrested immediately afterward. The killings at the Berlin farmhouse took place some time earlier that day. Dwayne Herring, Jody Herring's brother, told police Jody called him four times between 4:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., according to the affidavit. He did not answer and said his sister left voice mails in which she stated: "If you think anything of your sister, you'll get a hold of me now." Tiffany Herring, 23, the daughter of Rhonda Herring, previously told the Burlington Free Press that her mother received a phone call at the farmhouse from Jody Herring around 8 a.m. Aug. 7. Jody Herring made comments about the Department for Children and Families and threatened Rhonda Herring, Tiffany Herring told the Free Press. Court papers state Tiffany Herring, who lived at the home with her mother and grandmother, left the farmhouse around noon Aug. 7. Fern Moore, a friend of Rhonda and Regina Herring, told police the sisters failed to meet her to go shopping at 1 p.m. as they had planned. Moore called Rhonda Herring's phone multiple times from 1:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., but the calls went unanswered, the affidavit states. Court papers state Dwayne Herring said he received another voice message from Jody Herring at 3 p.m. in which she said: "Watch the news; you'll wish you got a hold of me earlier." The affidavit states Christopher Herring, a cousin of Jody Herring, told police he saw Herring's vehicle outside the home of her mother, Jenella, at about 3:30 p.m. Buy Photo Police tape surrounds a house on Airport Road in Berlin where three family members were found shot to death on Saturday, August 8, 2015. (Photo: GLENN RUSSELL/FREE PRESS FILE) Another cousin, Keith Herring, told police he saw Herring driving near Barre City Place between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tiffany Herring told the Burlington Free Press on Aug. 8 that she discovered the fatal shooting at the farmhouse. She said she stopped with a friend at the family home at 3168 Airport Rd. in Berlin at about 8 a.m. and found both doors were wide open. "I walked into the living room, and that's where I saw my mom dead," Tiffany Herring said several hours after discovering the bodies. She said Falzarano appeared to have been shot to death in bed, while Rhonda Herring had put up a fight. Vermont Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Steven Shapiro later said autopsies determined all three women at the Berlin home died within seconds from gunshot wounds. Regina Herring was struck twice in the torso. Rhonda Herring and Falzarano each were struck once in the "upper extremity/torso," Shapiro stated. The filing of charges was first reported Friday by WCAX-TV. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: This story was first posted online on Aug. 21, 2015. Contact Zach Despart at 651-4826 or zdespart@burlingtonfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ZachDespart. Read or Share this story: http://bfpne.ws/1Lp5bTU \|\|\|\|\| BARRE, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont woman accused of killing a social worker because she was upset about losing custody of her 9-year-old daughter has been charged with gunning down three relatives hours before. Jody Herring's ex-boyfriend told police that she kept a handwritten "hit list," and prosecutors on Thursday charged her with killing three of the people on it: two cousins and an aunt. The former boyfriend also told police that Herring had made comments about how "people are going to pay" and "there's going to be an Armageddon" regarding visitation rights to see her daughter. Herring has pleaded not guilty to shooting Department for Children and Families employee Lara Sobel as she exited a state office building in Barre on Aug. 7. Her lawyer David Sleigh said she will plead not guilty when she is arraigned Tuesday on the three new murder counts. Herring had tried to buy guns at stores in Barre and Randolph in March but was denied because she couldn't pass a background check, authorities said. The murder weapon was a hunting rifle that Herring stole from the estranged boyfriend, Henry Premont, police said in court documents. Premont told police that Herring had lived with him in Williamstown from March until they broke up on Aug. 5. He told investigators that her hit list included the names of the three slain relatives, her mother, her mother's boyfriend and possibly her brother. He also told police that she would often make threats about the visitation rights to see her daughter, including the "Armageddon" comment. He told police that Herring wanted to shoot someone in the head and "see brain matter." Herring's older daughter told police that Herring had accused the three slain relatives — 43-year-old cousin Regina Herring, 48-year-old cousin Rhonda Herring and 73-year-old aunt Julie Falzarano — of calling child welfare officials, according to court documents. She also told police that her mother had even claimed to have paid $25,000 to have a motorcycle gang kill several relatives. After Sobel was shot, police say bystanders subdued Herring and got the rifle away from her. Officers say Herring was "calm and laughing" when they arrived on the scene minutes later. When police interviewed her about Sobel, Herring laughed and asked "did you find the other three yet?" according to a police affidavit.	– The Vermont woman charged with killing a social worker after losing custody of her 9-year-old daughter had a "hit list" that included her mother, stepfather, and possibly brother, according to documents made public yesterday. The Burlington Free Press reports Jody Herring's ex-boyfriend told police he saw the hit list months before Herring allegedly killed three of her relatives and social worker Lara Sobel. According to the documents, Herring shot and killed her aunt and two cousins at their farmhouse Aug. 7 in a "deliberate and purposeful fashion" before killing Sobel as she left her office. She had promised "Armageddon," says her ex-boyfriend, reports AP. Herring allegedly stole the rifle used in all four killings from the ex, who was arrested days later in an armed standoff with police. Herring has now been charged with the three additional murders and is facing life in prison. The court papers also reveal that when detectives were interviewing Herring after the Sobel killing, she laughed and said, "Did you find the other three yet?" Her relative's bodies were discovered the following day.
Nornickel is the world’s largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the leading producers of platinum and copper. It also produces various by-products, such as cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, iridium, ruthenium, selenium, tellurium and sulfur. The Group is involved in prospecting, exploration, extraction, refining and metallurgical processing of minerals, as well as in production, marketing and sale of base and precious metals. Nornickel’s production facilities are located on three continents and in five countries: Russia, Australia, Botswana, Finland, and South Africa. The main Russian production units are vertically integrated and include: the Polar Division (“the Taimyr Peninsula”); the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company (“Kola MMC” or “the Kola Peninsula”). The Polar Division is located above the Polar Circle on the Taimyr Peninsula in the Krasnoyarsky Region. Its entities are connected to other regions of the country, via the Yenisei river and the Northern Sea Route, as well as by air. Kola MMC is located on the Kola Peninsula, which is the largest industrial producer in the Murmansk region, and is fully integrated into the transport infrastructure of the Northwest Federal District of the Russian Federation. In Australia, Nornickel owns: Honeymoon Well, a major sulfide nickel ore exploration project. The Group owns Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta, the only nickel refining plant in Finland. In South Africa, the Group holds a 50% interest in the Nkomati nickel mine, a joint venture with African Rainbow Minerals (ARM). The Group also includes: the Gipronickel Institute, a research and development facility located in Saint Petersburg, with branches in the cities of Norilsk and Monchegorsk; Norilsk Process Technology, a research and development facility in Australia. Nornickel has its own global network of representative and sales offices in Russia, the UK, China, USA and Switzerland. In Russia MMC Norilsk Nickel’s shares are admitted to trading on the Moscow and on the Saint-Petersburg Exchanges. ADR’s representing shares in MMC Norilsk Nickel are traded on the over the counter market in the US and on the London and Berlin stock exchanges. When determining the strategy for its global operations and future development, Norilsk Nickel is focused on compliance with all social and environmental responsibility principles in the various countries in which it operates, which is essential for ensuring sustainable and efficient business development. \|\|\|\|\| Story highlights Daldykan River turned red on Tuesday Environmental ministry says cause could be contamination (CNN) A Russian river located by the Arctic town of Norilsk turned bright red Tuesday, looking more like an enormous blood vessel than a body of water. Stunned residents shared photos online of the bizarre scene at Daldykan River. Authorities are trying to determine why the river changed colors and are evaluating possible environmental damages. CNN Map The water may have reddened due to discharge from "an unidentified chemical" from the nearby Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant, Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said in a statement Wednesday. If a pipeline broke, contaminants could have leaked into the river, the ministry added. Residents told the local newspaper that it's not the first time the river has changed color. The plant is owned by Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest nickel producer. Read More \|\|\|\|\| The residents of the Russian city of Norilsk, inside the Arctic Circle, have been posting photos on social media of an alarming sight: a bright red river. Is it the End Times, a chemical leak, or something else? The Russian authorities have already started an investigation into the matter, and they’re looking at a local metals plant as the possible culprit. Norilsk is a heavily polluted industrial city and it’s home to Norilsk Nickel, a mining giant that has a nickel smelting plant upstream. Russia’s natural resources and environment ministry said that the blood red color was possibly caused by a "break in a Norilsk Nickel slurry pipe," according to The Guardian’s translation of the Russian press release. And experts say the Russian authorities are probably looking in the right direction. "That’s a very typical color for a mine waste," says David Chambers, the president of the Center for Science in Public Participation and a mining expert. He hasn’t visited or tested the site himself, but he has seen the same photos that have taken the internet by storm. The bright red color is probably due to the oxidized iron contained in the waste, says Chambers. It’s not clear what kind of nickel processing was used at the metals plant, Chambers says, but it’s known that some types of high-temperature or pressure oxidation processes turn any sulfide minerals into iron oxide. If mixed with water, the waste turns it bright red. It’s also possible that the ore processed for the nickel also contains high amounts of iron, which is then discarded as waste. In this case, the iron-rich waste could have ended up in the river, turning it red, says Ronald Cohen, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. The same has happened multiple times in Sudbury, Ontario, Cohen says, where a local nickel factory has sometimes turned a nearby river a very similar bright red. "That isn’t water that you want to drink." If it really is a chemical leak, the town is in danger. Water with high concentrations of mine waste can be toxic, depending on what types of chemicals seep into the water and at what concentrations. "When that color is that red, then that isn’t water that you want to drink and that is not water you want to use for irrigational water, and you don’t want your livestock to drink it either," Cohen says. There won’t be much authorities will be able to do in terms of cleaning the river either, experts say. They will just have to wait for it to clear out, so that the metals dilute enough to make the water safe again. That could take hours or days, depending on the concentrations of metals, Cohen says. This is not the first time that the city of Norilsk sees its river run red. Some social media users commented that the same had happened in June, according to The Guardian. And some point to the metals plant as the likely culprit, ABC News reports. Norilsk Nickel has denied any wrongdoing. In an email to The Verge, the company wrote that the color of the Daldykan river shows "its natural tone." "Nornikel has strengthened the environmental monitoring in the area of the river and adjacent production facilities," the emailed statement read. "In cooperation with Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage, the Company has taken river-water samples, and will analyze them within a week." The company also sent us four photos of the river that it claimed were taken on September 7th at 7:06 AM. Here's one: As the Russian authorities investigate, they should also make sure residents are protected, says Payal Sampat, the mining program director at Earthworks, an environmental organization. "This is an area where there are subsistence farmers and herders," Sampat says. "I would hope that the Russian authorities are able to identify the cause of the spill and protect the communities that are dependent on this area." In any case, Sampat says, it’s known that Norilsk is one of the most polluted sites in Russia. "It was a ticking time bomb that was on the verge of exploding," she says, "and it’s gone off." Update September 8th 1:45PM ET: This article has been updated to include a statement and photo from Norilsk Nickel. \|\|\|\|\| Pipeline is feared to have broken in Arctic city of Norilsk, where Daldykan river runs close to nickel-producing factory Russian authorities have ordered an investigation into a possible pipeline break after a river in the nickel-producing Arctic city of Norilsk turned bright red. Social media users began sharing photos of the unnaturally red Daldykan river on Tuesday, with some writing that it had also changed colour in June. A few users suggested iron ore in the ground had changed the river’s colour, but others said industrial waste was a more likely reason. The river runs near to the Nadezhda metallurgical factory run by Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of nickel and palladium. Russia’s natural resources and environment ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that it was investigating complaints of unknown chemical pollution, possibly caused by a “break in a Norilsk Nickel slurry pipe”. Facebook Twitter Pinterest One online commenter quoted the Bible: ‘Strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.’ Photograph: Facebook Norilsk Nickel denied an industrial spill into the Daldykan and said the “colour of the river today doesn’t differ from its usual condition”, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported. But the company said it was temporarily reducing manufacturing work while it monitored the situation. The Norilsk mayor’s office said the city’s water supply came from other sources. According to Denis Koshevoi, a PhD candidate at the Vernadsky Institute for Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, who is researching pollution in the area, Norilsk Nickel pumps chemical solutions from Nadezhda to a nearby tailings dam via pipes. It also pumps metal concentrates from ore mills to Nadezhda, he said. “Periodically there are accidents when these pipes break and the solutions spill and get into the Daldykan – that’s why it changes colour,” Koshevoi told the Guardian. Anthrax outbreak triggered by climate change kills boy in Arctic Circle Read more “A leak into the river from the Nadezhda factory,” the Norilsk resident Yekaterina Basalyga wrote under two pictures of the river on her Instagram account. “You get scared when you see this. And people are still gathering mushrooms and berries.” Another commenter quoted the Bible passage in which the Lord tells Moses and Aaron to “strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood”. Norilsk developed as a gulag camp in 1935 and is known for its harsh winters, two-month polar night and high level of industrial pollution.	– Russian officials are looking into a phenomenon that's been documented by a flurry of pictures on social media: one of the country's northernmost rivers turning a bloodlike bright red. CNN reports that the Daldykan River shifted to a rouge hue on Tuesday, and while some are saying the cause could be iron ore in the ground, Russia's environmental ministry says it's investigating the Norilsk Nickel factory located nearby, citing in a press release a possible "break in a Norilsk Nickel slurry pipe" that may have dumped a chemical into the water, the Guardian notes. A mining expert explains to the Verge that certain oxidation processes or those that use high heat—like ones that may be used in the nickel plant—can convert sulfide minerals into iron oxide, which can turn water red if they mix together. Residents in the area tell a local newspaper they've seen this happen before, though they're not elaborating. Norilsk Nickel, which says it's the world's "largest producer of nickel and palladium," is trying to deflect the finger-pointing, though it says it will tamp down production during the probe. Upper management there may also need to call the eye doctor. "The color of the river today doesn't differ from its usual condition," the company told the RIA Novosti state news agency. The river doesn't hook up with the area's water supply, so locals shouldn't fret about immediate health hazards, Norilsk city managers tell Sputnik, via CNN, though the director of an environmental nonprofit says local farmers and herders could be at risk, especially if livestock drink the water or the water is used for irrigation. One resident who posted her images of the river on Instagram frets, "You get scared when you see this. And people are still gathering mushrooms and berries." (The same thing happened in China two years ago.)
Virginia's most socially conservative state lawmaker was ousted from office Tuesday by Danica Roem, a Democrat who will be one of the nation's first openly transgender elected officials and who embodies much of what Del. Robert G. Marshall fought against in Richmond. The race focused on traffic and other local issues in suburban Prince William County but also exposed the nation's fault lines over gender identity. It pitted a 33-year-old former journalist who began her physical gender transition four years ago against a 13-term incumbent who called himself Virginia's "chief homophobe" and earlier this year introduced a "bathroom bill" that died in committee. "Discrimination is a disqualifier," a jubilant Roem said Tuesday night as her margin of victory became clear. "This is about the people of the 13th District disregarding fear tactics, disregarding phobias . . . where we celebrate you because of who you are, not despite it." [Our Martin Luther King Jr. moment’: Roem’s victory inspires transgender community] Marshall, 73, who refused to debate Roem and referred to her with male pronouns, declined an interview request but posted a concession message on Facebook. "For 26 years I've been proud to fight for you, and fight for our future," he said. "I'm committed to continue the fight for you, but in a different role going forward." Democrat Danica Roem, right, watches election results Tuesday night with Linda Daubert, left, of Indivisible NOVA West, at Grafton Street Restaurant and Bar in Gainesville, Va. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) The contest was one of dozens of state legislative races in which Democrats pushed to gain ground in the Republican-majority General Assembly, buoyed by a surge of anti-Trump sentiment among Democrats and independents, and hoping to provide an example for the nation of how to run in opposition to the unpopular Republican president. It also was the most prominent of several elections across the country in which transgender individuals won seats on city councils and a school board. Roem outraised Marshall 3-to-1 with nearly $500,000 in donations, much of it coming from LGBT advocates and other supporters across the country. Her campaign was relentless, knocking on doors more than 75,000 times in a district with 52,471 registered voters. Roem sat for myriad public appearances and interviews and maintained a steady social media presence. Marshall kept his schedule private but also mounted a healthy ground game; his campaign said this week that staffers knocked on voters' doors about 49,000 times this fall. The race took an ugly turn when Marshall and his supporters produced ads disparaging Roem 's transgender identity. But in the end, that tactic failed. Roem led by nearly nine percentage points with all precincts reporting, according to preliminary, unofficial results. Advocates say she will be the first openly transgender person elected to and seated in a U.S. state legislature; a transgender candidate was elected in New Hampshire in 2012 but did not take office, and a transgender person served in the Massachusetts legislature in the early 1990s but was not openly transgender while campaigning. [City council candidate is first openly transgender African American woman elected in the U.S.] "It's kind of like Barack [Obama] winning the presidential election. I'm really proud of Virginia," said Roem voter John Coughlin, 63, a Realtor in Manassas who said he had never voted for Marshall. "I don't care about religious issues. I don't care about items that are big on his agenda. He should be more mainstream." Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political-science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, said Roem's victory shows "that cultural wars don't win elections like they used to." "Virginia has changed so rapidly over the past 20 years. It's gone from a state where no politician would dare to condemn the Confederacy to a state where a suburban district would elect a transgender candidate," Farnsworth said. "The Old Dominion gives way to a very different New Dominion." In addition to calling Marshall "a mirror" of Trump, Roem accused him of being more concerned with advancing his conservative causes than dealing with local problems. That message resonated in communities along Route 28 — particularly Manassas Park, an area that has seen an influx of immigrants and millennials. Marshall lost there four years ago. "I work in Tysons sometimes in the morning, and it can take up to two hours, and the main reason for that is Route 28," said Miranda Jehle, 21, a Roem voter who lives in Manassas Park. "That issue definitely resonated here." Nat King, 50, called the congested thoroughfare "the one issue that I know has to be addressed." "That was the primary factor in how I voted," said King, who lives in the Signal Hill area and cast his ballot for Roem. "Someone has to fix Route 28." [The story behind the viral photo of Danica Roem falling to her knees on election night] Marshall emphasized his record of helping constituents with individual problems. But he also countered Roem's attacks with appeals to his conservative base, helped by last-minute donations from the state Republican Party and conservative groups outside Virginia that have long supported him. A cable television ad by Marshall's campaign questioned Roem's moral judgment with brief footage from a five-year-old music video she appeared in with her band. A scene from the video, which did not appear fully in the ad, is suggestive of a group of people having oral sex. A state Republican Party flier accused Roem of "wanting transgenderism taught to kindergartners" — a reference to a radio interview in which she supported the idea of addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender matters in schools "in an age-appropriate manner." Quentin Kidd, director of the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University, said Marshall may have erred in making too much of Roem's gender while refusing to participate in public-policy debates. "He got put in a box on a cultural war issue, and the irony is that he's made his living on cultural war issues," Kidd said. [Del. Marshall: Conservative warrior fights to preserve ‘laws of nature’] But some Marshall voters said they were turned off by Roem's gender. "She's never had menstrual cramps, and she's never had a baby, and she never will be able to," said Carol Fox, a community activist in the Heritage Hunt section of Prince William, where Roem campaigned repeatedly. "She can take all the estrogen she wants, but she'll never be a woman." Alexis Dimouro, 53, who voted for Marshall, said she was turned off by negativity on both sides, including attacks on Roem's gender and Roem's characterization of Marshall as a conservative zealot out of touch with local issues. "Let us do the research and decide," she said. "All of that seemed like a waste of money." At the Water's End Brewery in Lake Ridge, a crowd of supporters and news cameras awaited Roem as she drove in for a final stop in what became a victory tour of Prince William County Democratic parties. The crowd chanted "Danica! Danica!" She raised her fist and shouted "Sí, se puede!" Standing on a table inside the pub, Roem dedicated her win "to every person who's ever been singled out, who's ever been stigmatized, who's ever been the misfit, who's ever been the kid in the corner, who's ever needed someone to stand up for them when they didn't have a voice of their own. This one is for you." She then reiterated her promises of alleviating traffic congestion on Route 28. "That's why I got in this race," Roem said. "Because I'm fed up with the frickin' road over in my home town." \|\|\|\|\| Danica Roem, right, who is running for house of delegates against GOP incumbent Robert Marshall, campaigns as voters take to the ballot boxes at Gainesville Middle School on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in... (Associated Press) Danica Roem, right, who is running for house of delegates against GOP incumbent Robert Marshall, campaigns as voters take to the ballot boxes at Gainesville Middle School on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Gainesville, Va. If Roem wins, she would be the first transgender legislator elected in the USA. (Jahi... (Associated Press) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A transgender woman unseated one of Virginia's longest serving and most socially conservative lawmakers Tuesday and is set to make history as the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature. Democrat Danica Roem, an experienced newspaper reporter, beat Republican Del. Bob Marshall in Tuesday's election. The race was one of the year's most high profile, drawing national and international attention and big money to the northern Virginia House of Delegates district outside the nation's capital. "Tonight voters chose a smart, solutions-oriented trans leader over a divisive anti-LGBTQ demagogue - sending a powerful message to anti-trans legislators all across the nation," Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, president & CEO of Victory Fund, said in a statement. Roem will be the first transgender member of the House of Delegates and will become the first out transgender person to win and serve in a state legislature, according to the Victory Fund. Roem openly discussed her gender identity during her campaign, but it was far from her focus. Instead, she focused on jobs, schools and, with particular fervor, northern Virginia's traffic congestion. She also argued that Marshall, who has served in the House since 1992, has spent too much time on social policy. A lightning rod for controversy, Marshall often drew the ire of even his own party. Earlier this year, Marshall sponsored a measure that would have restricted the bathrooms transgender people can use. He is also the author of a now-void constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman, and sponsored a bill banning gay people from openly serving in the Virginia National Guard. On the campaign trail, Marshall and other Republicans repeatedly misidentified Roem's gender. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Marshall said: "For 26 years I've been proud to fight for you, and fight for our future. Though we all wish tonight would have turned out differently, I am deeply grateful for your support and effort over the years." Roem, who started pursuing therapy to begin her gender transition when she was 28, said in an interview earlier this year with AP that politics should be inclusive of all. "No matter what you look like, where you come from, how you worship or who you love, if you have good public policy ideas, if you're qualified for office, you have every right to bring your ideas to the table," she said in an interview with The Associated Press earlier this year. Roem also said she learned to listen to different perspectives and digest complicated policy as a reporter for the Gainesville Times and Prince William Times, skills she would bring to bear as a delegate. In her spare time, she sings in a metal band.	– A transgender woman unseated one of Virginia's longest serving and most socially conservative lawmakers Tuesday and is set to make history as the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature. Democrat Danica Roem, an experienced newspaper reporter, beat Republican Del. Bob Marshall in Tuesday's election. The race was one of the year's most high profile, drawing national and international attention and big money to the northern Virginia House of Delegates district outside the nation's capital, the AP reports. Earlier this year, Marshall, who has served in the House since 1992, sponsored a measure that would have restricted the bathrooms transgender people can use. Marshall, 73, is also the author of a now-void constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman. He refused to debate Roem and used male pronouns to describe her, the Washington Post reports. "Discrimination is a disqualifier," Roem said Tuesday night. "This is about the people of the 13th District disregarding fear tactics, disregarding phobias." Roem, 33, openly discussed her gender identity during her campaign, but it was far from her focus. Instead, she focused on jobs, schools and, with particular fervor, northern Virginia's traffic congestion. (Democrats also won governor seats in Virginia and New Jersey.)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the overnight attack on his country's embassy in the Egyptian capital. Some hundreds of Egyptian activists demolish a concrete wall built around a building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, to protect it against demonstrators, as they raise their national Friday,... (Associated Press) Egyptian activists demolish a concrete wall built around a building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, to protect it against demonstrators, Friday, Sept.9, 2011. Arabic reads " liberation of... (Associated Press) Egyptian activists demolish a concrete wall built around a building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, to protect it against demonstrators, as they raise their national Friday, Sept.9, 2011.... (Associated Press) A protester holds the Egyptian national flag as a fire rages outside the building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Sept. 9, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian protesters, some swinging hammers... (Associated Press) Protesters are seen among flaming vehicles outside the building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Sept. 9, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian protesters, some swinging hammers and others using... (Associated Press) Egyptian activists burn a depiction of an Israeli flag as they demolish a concrete wall built around a building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, to protect it against demonstrators, Friday,... (Associated Press) An Egyptian protester shouts slogans in front of a poster showing ousted President Hosni Mubarak on a noose during a protest at Tahrir Square, the focal point of the Egyptian uprising, in Cairo, Egypt... (Associated Press) An elderly man runs past flaming vehicles outside the building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Sept. 9, 2011. A group of about 30 protesters broke into the embassy Friday and dumped... (Associated Press) Thousands of Egyptian protesters pray at Tahrir Square, the focal point of the Egyptian uprising, in Cairo, Egypt Friday, Sept.9, 2011, during a protest labeled Correcting the Path where thousands gathered... (Associated Press) An aide to the prime minister says Netanyahu on Saturday denounced the attack as a "serious incident" and a "blatant violation of international norms." He says Netanyahu thanked Egyptian authorities for helping rescue six Israeli employees trapped inside the embassy during the attack but said the incident itself was a "severe injury to the fabric of peace with Israel." The aide, who said he heard Netanyahu's remarks, spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the press. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. CAIRO (AP) _ A senior Egyptian official says at least three people died and more than 1,000 were hurt during street clashes with police and army troops after an angry mob attacked the Israeli embassy in Cairo. Deputy Health Minister Hamid Abaza say one of the three fatalities in the violence late Friday was a man who died of a heart attack. Abaza told The Associated Press on Saturday he doesn't know the cause of the other two deaths. He says at least 1,093 people were injured in the clashes. The protesters pelted the police and the military with rocks, prompting the troops to fire tear gas and shoot into the air. Only 38 of the injured remained in hospital. Earlier, the protesters tore down a security wall outside the Israeli mission and stormed the embassy's offices. \|\|\|\|\| CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's army rulers vowed on Saturday to try those behind the violence that pushed Israel to evacuate its ambassador from Cairo, as they struggled to contain public fury against the Jewish state while fending off U.S. criticism. Washington, which has poured billions of dollars in military aid into Egypt since it made peace with Israel in 1979, urged Cairo to protect the mission after protesters hurled embassy documents from the windows of the building and removed and burned the Israeli flag. Three people died and 1,049 were wounded in the clashes that began Friday and raged on into the early hours of Saturday around the Cairo tower block housing the embassy, the Health Ministry said. Police and soldiers fired shots in the air and tear gas to disperse the crowd, which replied with stones. Egypt's army, under pressure to hand power back to civilians after taking over from toppled president Hosni Mubarak, must balance public calls for a more assertive policy toward Israel with maintaining ties that bring it cash and U.S. military hardware. "Egypt witnessed a harsh day that inflicted pain and worry on all Egyptians. It is clear that the behavior of some threatens the Egyptian revolution," Information Minister Osama Hassan Heikal said in a televised statement. Egypt would transfer those in custody or "involved in inciting or participating in (Friday's) events to the emergency state security court," the minister said. Justice Minister Mohamed Abdel Aziz el-Guindy told state television the government had decided to apply emergency laws still in place "forcefully" and that trials would be swift. Protesters burned tyres in the street and at least two police vehicles were set alight near the embassy. Many had come from a demonstration in central Cairo organised to push the army to end emergency law and speed up political reforms. "Our dignity has been restored," said Mohi Alaa, 24, a protester near the site of the overnight clashes. Bits of concrete and bullet casings were strewn over the street. "We don't want the Americans' money," he said, reflecting the greater readiness of many Egyptians to express resentment of Israel and the United States after decades of pragmatic official relations. Some 500 protesters stayed after dawn and a few threw stones at police, who gradually pushed them away and secured the area around the embassy, located on the upper floors of a residential block overlooking the Nile. AMBASSADOR EVACUATED It was the second big eruption of violence at the embassy since five Egyptian border guards were killed last month when Israel repelled cross-border raiders it said were Palestinians. Egypt then briefly threatened to withdraw its envoy to Israel. Israel has stopped short of apologising, saying it is still investigating the Egyptian deaths, which occurred during an operation against gunmen who had killed eight Israelis. Israeli ambassador Yitzhak Levanon, staff and family members arrived home Saturday, but one diplomat stayed in Egypt to maintain the embassy, an Israeli official said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would preserve its 1979 peace with Egypt despite the incident. "We are working together with the Egyptian government to return our ambassador to Cairo soon," he said in televised remarks. "I would like to ensure that the security arrangements necessary for him and for our staff will be steadfast." The Egyptian information minister's statement followed a crisis meeting of his key cabinet members and talks with Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who heads the military council that has ruled Egypt since Mubarak stepped down on February 11. State television said the military council rejected an offer by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf to resign. Israel is finding itself increasingly at odds with formerly sympathetic states in the region. It is embroiled in a feud with Turkey, once the closest of its few Muslim allies, over an Israeli raid last year that killed nine Turks on a flotilla bound for Gaza. Egypt's ties with Israel, though never warm, were a pillar of Mubarak's foreign policy and buttressed his claim to be a regional mediator. Under Mubarak, displays of hostility to Israel were crushed by force. U.S. DEMANDS President Barack Obama called on Egypt to "honor its international obligations" and protect the Israeli mission. He told Israel's Netanyahu that Washington was taking steps to resolve the situation. The State Department said Washington had been in contact with Egyptian and Israeli officials over the violence. "Israel and Egypt are key partners and allies of the United States, and both states have made clear their continuing commitment to maintain their bilateral relationship and the peace treaty between them, which remains a cornerstone of regional stability," Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr said Cairo was committed to "fully respect all its international obligations regarding protecting and safeguarding international diplomatic missions on its soil," the state MENA news agency said. An Israeli official said the ambassador, staff and family members had left in one plane and a second one had brought home six Israeli security personnel who had been left guarding the embassy, protected from the crowd only by a reinforced door until Egyptian troops extracted them. British Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the embassy attack and urged Egypt to protect diplomatic property. Some Egyptian politicians and activists criticised the violence, even if they backed the anti-Israel demonstration. Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahy called for the army to take a "serious stance matching the public anger" toward Israel but said violence sullied the image of Egypt's uprising. Last month, a man scaled the embassy building, took down Israel's flag and replaced it with Egypt's. Protests continued daily but did not turn violent until the latest flare-up. In response to the protests, the authorities had erected a wall around the building, which was quickly defaced with anti-Israel slogans and then painted in Egypt's national colours. Friday, the wall was torn down. (Reporting by Yasmine Saleh, Mohamed Abdellah, Seham Eloraby, Ahmed Tolba and Sami Aboudi in Cairo, Dan Williams in Jerusalem, and Christopher Wilson and Timothy Gardner in Washington; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Janet Lawrence) \|\|\|\|\| U.S. President Barak Obama spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday after hundreds of Egyptian demonstrators broke into the Israeli Embassy in Cairo earlier in the day. The U.S. president's office issued a statement in which Obama expressed great concern over the attack and for the Israelis stationed there. The statement said that Obama "reviewed the steps that the United States is taking at all levels to help resolve the situation without further violence, and calls on the Government of Egypt to honor its international obligations to safeguard the security of the Israeli Embassy." Obama and Netanyahu agreed to stay in close touch until the situation is resolved. Calls to end the historic 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, a pact that has never been widely supported by Egypt’s constituency, have been on the rise since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in February. Tensions rose last month after Israeli forces responding to a cross-border militant attack mistakenly killed five Egyptian police officers. \|\|\|\|\| That strategy proved disastrous Friday night when thousands of protesters attacked the Israeli Embassy. They first methodically demolished a week-old protective wall as Egyptian security forces stood by. A few scaled the building and tore down the Israeli flag, while about two dozen broke into the offices and began tossing binders of documents into the street. And when a battalion of riot police finally began filling the streets with tear gas, the protesters fought back with rocks and Molotov cocktails for most of the night. Egyptian officials said Saturday that at least two protesters had died from the clashes around the embassy — one from a bullet wound and the other from a heart attack — while as many as 1,200 had been injured and at least 19 arrested. Signaling its new crackdown, the military council said Saturday that all those arrested would be sent to military trials instead of civilian courts. But at least one protester who had broken into the embassy early Saturday morning said that Egyptian military police had forced him out but then let him go free, raising questions about the consistency of the military’s new crackdown. Israeli officials, for their part, said Saturday that six members of their staff had been trapped inside the embassy until an early morning rescue by Egyptian commandos. “This went on for 13 hours and there was real concern for the safety and lives of our people,” an Israeli official said. “The mob penetrated the embassy and at the end there was only one wall separating it from six of our people.” The Israeli ambassador and about 85 diplomats and their family members were evacuated at dawn. Only one diplomat, a deputy ambassador, remained, and he took refuge in the protection of the American Embassy, diplomats familiar with the arrangements said. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content , updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. Diplomats said allowing the invasion of a foreign embassy was an extraordinary breach of Egypt’s international commitments that immediately raised new security concerns at other embassies around the city. “It has led to a complete loss of credibility in the government internationally from all directions,” a Western diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the situation. In addition to attacking the Israeli Embassy, witnesses said, protesters also menaced the nearby embassy of Saudi Arabia, which many Egyptians believe has pushed their own government to avoid setting a precedent by taking retribution against Mr. Mubarak. “Saudi Arabia and Mubarak are one hand,” protesters chanted. (Mr. Mubarak is currently on trial for corruption and conspiring in the killing of protesters earlier this year.) Mr. Heikal, the Egyptian government spokesman, specifically addressed worries by diplomats, pledging that Egypt would fully uphold all its international commitments. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The violence of the attack on the Israeli Embassy, and another attack that defaced the walls of the Egyptian Interior Ministry, marked a departure from the previously peaceful character of the frequent demonstrations in Cairo’s Tahrir Square since the revolution. The difference reflected in part the changing composition of the crowd, which on Friday was dominated for the first time by hard-core soccer fans, known here as Ultras, who turned out looking for revenge against the police after a melee at a soccer match a few days before. Egyptian politicians at every level — from the young leaders of the revolution to older liberals and Islamists — spoke out Saturday against the use of violence. A coalition of young organizers of the revolution held a press conference to fault the military council for failing to provide any security throughout the day and evening, only to respond late at night with brutal force. But many political leaders were also careful to distance themselves from any support for Israel. Among the many objections to Mr. Mubarak was his steadfast devotion to Egypt’s alliance with Israel and the United States even at the price of suppressing popular resentment of Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians. And both aspiring political candidates as well as the ruling military council have been careful to stay on the popular side of those sentiments. Given the growing public pressure, said Gamal Abdel Gawad, director of the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, repairing relations with Israel could be “an uphill battle.” Citing the crisis surrounding the embassy attack, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the leader of Egypt's ruling military council and former President Hosni Mubarak's former defense minister, postponed until September 24 his testimony scheduled Sunday before a closed-session of Mr. Mubarak's criminal trial trial.	– Relations between Egypt and Israel took another turn for the worse today, as Israel evacuated its ambassador and staff from Cairo amid protests, reports Reuters. The move came after demonstrators destroyed a protective wall outside the Israeli embassy, tore down the flag, then got inside and tossed documents out windows. Egyptian authorities say at least three people were killed and about 1,000 injured as police and security forces clashed with protesters overnight outside the embassy. Tensions between the nations have been going downhill in general since the fall of Hosni Mubarak, notes the New York Times, and especially since Israeli forces mistakenly killed five Egyptian police officers last month during a raid on Palestinian militants. Benjamin Netanyahu today called the attack on the embassy a "blatant violation of international norms," notes AP, and President Obama expressed "great concern," adds Haaretz.
Raw squid is sold at market. This is the first time researchers have discovered an antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Researchers in Canada have discovered one of the deadliest kinds of antibiotic-resistant bacteria for the first time in a food product — raw squid — widening the potential exposure for consumers, according to a report published Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most antibiotic-resistant bacteria have, until now, been in health-care settings and spread by infected patients, as occurred in the “superbug” outbreak at the National Institutes of Health clinical center in 2011 that killed seven people. The discovery of such a microbe in food means “the risk of exposure in the public goes beyond people with travel histories and beyond people who have been previously hospitalized,” said Joseph Rubin, assistant professor of veterinary microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. “This finding means a much broader segment of the population is potentially at risk for exposure. It’s something you may be bringing into your home rather than something you would acquire while traveling or following hospitalization,” he said. Cooking the squid at the proper temperature would kill the bacteria. But the bacteria could still spread into humans through cross-contamination if kitchen surfaces and hands aren’t properly cleaned. View Graphic An overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of superbugs, disease-causing microbes that are becoming increasingly unaffected by even the most powerful drugs. The bacterium found in the squid is a common environmental organism, present in dirt and water. But in this case, scientists found that it had a gene that made it resistant to antibiotics that are considered the last line of defense, Rubin said. Bacteria that have this capability are dangerous because if they are in a person’s body, they can share that gene or enzyme with other bacteria. And that makes those other bacteria also resistant to these last-resort antibiotics, known as carbapenems. The organism found in the squid, Pseudomonas fluorescens, probably would not make a healthy person sick, Rubin said. But for those with immune systems compromised by chemotherapy or illness, it could make common bacteria like E. coli resistant to the last-resort antibiotics. E. coli is the most common cause of urinary tract infections in healthy people. The organism was found in a package of frozen squid purchased at a Chinese grocery store in Saskatoon, Canada, in January. The store owner said the squid came from South Korea. “Finding this organism in food is extremely disturbing,” Rubin said. “This widens the possibilities for the spread of resistance.” As part of a pilot study, Rubin and other researchers bought six food samples from the Saskatoon store, including two squids, two packages of frog legs and two packages of black sea cucumbers. Only one squid — a whole, frozen one between 8 and 15 inches — showed the presence of the microbe, Rubin said. Rubin said he doesn’t know whether the squid acquired the bacteria during food processing and handling or from its natural environment. Researchers will continue testing dozens of other food samples from other specialty stores, he said. View Graphic Antibiotic resistance isnât just a hospital phenomenon. Researchers said they chose to sample foods in niche markets because the scope of antimicrobial drug-resistance surveillance programs in the United States and Canada is limited to such products as poultry, beef and pork. But as communities become increasingly diverse, “niche-market meat products, including imported foods, are becoming increasingly common,” Rubin said. Health officials around the world have warned about the rising threat from antibiotic resistance. The CDC warned last fall that the United States faces “potentially catastrophic consequences” if it doesn’t act quickly to combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant infections, which kill about 23,000 Americans a year. “Whenever we see last-resort antibiotics, such as carbapenems, stop working for another type of bacteria — we are highly concerned,” Jean Patel, deputy director of the CDC’s Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, said in a statement. “Losing carbapenems could mean we are facing completely untreatable infections.” \|\|\|\|\| Breaking news today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, out of its open-access journal Emerging Infectious Diseases: Researchers in Canada have identified a very highly resistant bacterium in squid imported from South Korea and being sold in a Chinese grocery store. The letter reporting the finding was supposed to go live at noon ET, but hasn’t yet. When it does, it will be linked from this page, under the subheading Letters. It is titled: “Carbapenamase-Producing Organism in Food, 2014.” The letter, signed by Joseph E. Rubin, Samantha Ekanayake and Champika Fernando of the University of Saskatchewan, reports that, in the squid, they found a variety of a common bacterium, Pseudomonas, carrying a gene that directs production of an enzyme called VIM-2 carbapenemase. It’s the “carbapenemase” that is the troubling factor here. Carbapenems are the truly last of the few remaining last-resort antibiotics in the world. The global advance of carbapenem resistance — via superbugs such as NDM from Asia, and OXA and VIM primarily from southern Europe — is what the CDC’s director was talking about last year when he referred to the worldwide threat from “nightmare bacteria.” Most of the spread of carbapenem resistance has been through people, who picked it up in a hospital or acquired it accidentally from contaminated water, especially in south Asia. But because carbapenem resistance largely travels via gut bacteria, some microbiologists have been apprehensive that it might get into the food chain. After all, many common foodborne diseases arrive via what’s politely called the “fecal-oral route” — which is to say, fecal bacteria got on the food you eat. Since some of those bacteria, such as E. coli, are known to carry NDM and the other carbapenemases, it made sense to wonder whether food could transmit them also. It’s an especially important question because the government surveillance programs that look for resistant bacteria on food are limited in the geographical sites, types of food, and types of bacteria they look for — so the possibility has always existed that something could sneak through. Which the authors say they were worried about. From their letter: …the scope of antimicrobial drug resistance surveillance programs is limited to major agricultural products (poultry, beef, and pork). In our modern, ethnically diverse societies, niche-market meat products, including imported foods, are becoming increasingly common. Worldwide dissemination of the Klebsiella pneumoniae, VIM, OXA, and New Delhi metallo-b-lactamase type carbapenemases among humans has been facilitated by intercontinental passenger travel, but the role of the global food trade in this dissemination has not been investigated… Among other items, the squid was purchased from a Chinese grocery store in Saskatoon, Canada, in January 2014 as part of a drug-resistance surveillance pilot study. Although no country-of-origin labeling was available for inspection, the store owner reported that, according to the distributor, this squid originated in South Korea. Beyond the obvious, that this is a first finding of a resistance factor where it has not previously been, here are some concerns: Because the carbapenem-resistant bacteria tend to be gut bacteria, anything that conducts them into your gut—like, for instance, swallowing them—is problematic. The issue isn’t that the bacterium is going to cause a foodborne illness immediately; the bacteria carrying this gene was not a disease-causing variety. Rather, the concern is that the DNA conferring this resistance passes from this bacterium into the vast colony of diverse bacteria that live in your gut for your entire life, becoming incorporated into your gut flora and posing a risk of drug-resistant illness at some future point when the balance of your immune system slips. That this was found on seafood—a type of food that we tend to undercook and sometimes eat raw—just increases the risk of transmission. And that’s not even to mention the possibility that bacteria containing the gene spread to other seafood or other foods in that store, or in the kitchens of anyone unlucky enough to bring them home. As the authors state: \|\|\|\|\| Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal Highlights: Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 20, No. 7, (July 2014) Disclaimer The articles of interest summarized below will appear in the July 2014 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, CDC’s monthly peer-reviewed public health journal. This issue will feature antimicrobial drug resistance. The articles are embargoed until June 11, 2014, at 12 p.m. EDT. Note: Not all articles published in EID represent work done at CDC. In your stories, please clarify whether a study was conducted by CDC (“a CDC study”) or by another institution (“a study published by CDC”). The opinions expressed by authors contributing to EID do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CDC or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. Click here to visit the Emerging Infectious Disease journal page 1.Socioeconomic Status and Campylobacteriosis, Connecticut, USA, 1999–2009, Kelley Bemis et al. In the United States, campylobacteriosis is the second most common foodborne gastrointestinal illness caused by bacteria; in Connecticut, it is the most common such illness. The more we know about who is at risk for this illness, the better we can direct prevention and control. In Connecticut, a study to learn whether this illness is associated with socioeconomic status found that for people 10 years of age and older, more cases occurred among those of higher socioeconomic status, but for children younger than 10, more cases occurred among those of lower socioeconomic status. This finding that risk is higher for children living in poorer neighborhoods could reflect increased exposure to the organism in the home, but this hypothesis needs verification. Control efforts, at least in Connecticut, should especially focus on those in the age and socioeconomic groups at highest risk. Contact: James L. Hadler Emerging Infections Program, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT hadler-epi@att.net 2. Carbapenemase-Producing Organism in Food, 2014, Joseph E. Rubin et al. Carbapenems are a type of antibiotic, and carbapenemases are enzymes that some organisms can produce to render these antibiotics ineffective. The recent global emergence of carbapenemase-producing organisms adds to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, to the point of its being considered a public health emergency. Carbapenem-resistant organisms have been found in the environment and in animals used for food; but in the United States and Canada, they had not been found in food itself—until now. In January 2014, routine testing identified a carbapenemase-producing organism in a squid for sale in a Chinese grocery store in Saskatoon, Canada. The squid had probably been imported from South Korea. This finding expands the list of those at risk for carbapenem-resistant infections from a select group of people to the general public. Specifically, it expands the previously known risks of travel to certain destinations, previous use of antibiotics, or prior hospitalization, to the more widespread risk of consumption of contaminated food. Finding a carbapenemase-producing organism in food in North America creates an urgent need to expand tracking and monitoring (surveillance) of these organisms. Contact: Joseph E. Rubin Western College of Veterinary Medicine University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Canada jer298@mail.usask.ca 3. Lessons for Control of Heroin-Associated Anthrax in Europe from 2009–2010 Outbreak Case Studies, London, Aula Abbara et al. Anthrax is unique in that it can occur in several forms: cutaneous (acquired when spores enter a cut or scrape in the skin), gastrointestinal (acquired by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with spores), and inhalational (acquired by breathing in spores). Adding to the diversity of this illness is a relatively new form, injection anthrax, which is acquired when anthrax-contaminated heroin is injected into or around a blood vessel or just under the skin (skin popping). Many of the diagnosed cases of heroin-associated anthrax are severe and often fatal, and cases now also display new and varied symptoms, which clinicians might not recognize as anthrax. Recent detection of injection anthrax cases in northern Europe indicates that batches of anthrax-contaminated heroin are circulating and that clinicians and heroin users should be made aware of heroin-associated anthrax. Because these cases might just represent the tip of the iceberg, surveillance should be conducted to determine the full extent of the problem, and diagnostic testing should be conducted whenever anthrax is suspected. Contact: Alison Holmes Professor of Infectious Diseases Imperial College London, United Kingdom alison.holmes@imperial.ac.uk Read More>>	– We're growing accustomed to hearing about antibiotic-resistant bacteria in our hospitals; now the CDC says it's entering our markets. In a report out yesterday, the agency revealed that Canadian researchers have, as part of a pilot study, discovered such bacteria in a single raw squid found in a Chinese grocery store in Saskatoon, Canada; it likely hailed from South Korea. That's the first time it's been found in food, the Washington Post reports. Here's a really gloomy assessment from one of the researchers: "This finding means a much broader segment of the population is potentially at risk for exposure. It’s something you may be bringing into your home rather than something you would acquire while traveling or following hospitalization." The bacterium identified in the squid is a "common environmental organism," explains the Post, but in this instance, it had a gene that rendered it resistant to last-resort antibiotics called carbapenems. That organism, Pseudomonas fluorescens, typically wouldn't harm a healthy person. But for someone with a weakened immune system, it could render common bacteria (think E. coli) resistant to carbapenems. That's because, as the Post explains, once the bacteria is in a person's body, it "can share that gene or enzyme with other bacteria. And that makes those other bacteria also resistant." Though properly cooking the squid would have killed the bacteria, it could spread during the food-prep phase. And at Wired, Maryn McKenna notes that seafood is "a type of food that we tend to undercook and sometimes eat raw."
A Penn State assistant football coach testified Friday that he believes he saw former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky molesting a boy on campus and that he fully conveyed what he had seen to two Penn State administrators. John McQueary, father of Penn State Assistant Football Coach Mike McQueary, departs Dauphin County Court Friday, dec 16, 2011 in Harrisburg, Pa. Mike McQueary, speaking for the first time in public... (Associated Press) Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary, right, arrives at Dauphin County Court surrounded by heavy security Friday, Dec 16, 2011, in Harrisburg, Pa. McQueary declined to speak to reporters... (Associated Press) Former Penn State University Police Chief, Thomas Harmon, departs Dauphin County Court Friday, Dec 16, 2011 in Harrisburg, Pa. Penn State Assistant Football Coach Mike McQueary, speaking for the first... (Associated Press) Former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley, right, arrives for a hearing at Dauphin County Court, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in Harrisburg, Pa. A judge is to determine after the hearing if there's enough... (Associated Press) Former Penn State Vice President Gary Schultz, right, arrives for a preliminary hearing at Dauphin County Court, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in Harrisburg, Pa. A judge is to determine after the hearing if... (Associated Press) FILE -- In a Nov. 7, 2011 file photo former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley, left, and former Penn State Vice President Gary Schultz, right, enter a district judge's office for an arraignment... (Associated Press) Penn State Assistant Football Coach Mike McQueary, left, departs the Dauphin County Court Friday, Dec 16, 2011 in Harrisburg, PA. McQueary, speaking for the first time in public about the 2002 encounter... (Associated Press) Penn State Assistant Football Coach Mike McQueary, left, departs the Dauphin County Court Friday, Dec 16, 2011 in Harrisburg, PA. McQueary, speaking for the first time in public about the 2002 encounter... (Associated Press) Mike McQueary, speaking for the first time in public about the 2002 encounter in a Penn State locker room, said he believes that Sandusky was attacking the child with his hands around the boy's waist but said he wasn't 100 percent sure it was intercourse. McQueary took the stand Friday morning in a Pennsylvania courtroom during a preliminary hearing for university officials Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, who are accused of lying to a grand jury about what McQueary told them. At the conclusion of the hearing, District Judge William C. Wenner ruled that prosecutors have enough evidence to send their cases to trial. McQueary's story is central to the case against Curley and Schultz. They testified to the grand jury that McQueary never relayed the seriousness of what he saw. The officials, and Penn State coach Joe Paterno, have been criticized for never telling police about the 2002 allegation. Prosecutors say Sandusky continued to abuse boys for six more years. The lawyers for Curley and Schultz say the men are innocent and that uncorroborated testimony from McQueary is not enough on which to hang the case. Curley and Schultz told the grand jury that they remembered McQueary reporting only something inappropriate, like wrestling, but nothing as serious as rape. McQueary, who was on the stand for about two hours Friday, said he had stopped by a campus football locker room to drop off a pair of sneakers in the spring of 2002 when he heard slapping sounds in a shower and happened upon Sandusky and the boy. He said Sandusky was behind the boy he estimated to be 10 or 12 years old, with his hands wrapped around the youngster's waist. He said the boy was facing a wall, with his hands on it. McQueary, 37, said he has never described what he saw as anal rape or anal intercourse and couldn't see Sandusky's genitals, but that "it was very clear that it looked like there was intercourse going on." In its report last month, the grand jury summarized McQueary's testimony as saying he "saw a naked boy ... with his hands up against the wall, being subjected to anal intercourse by a naked Sandusky." Under cross examination by an attorney for Curley, McQueary reiterated that he had not seen Sandusky penetrating or fondling the boy but was nearly certain they were having intercourse because the two were standing so close and Sandusky's arms were wrapped around the youth. He said he peeked into the shower three times _ the first via a mirror, the other two times directly. The last time he looked in, Sandusky and the boy had separated, he said. He said he didn't say anything, but "I know they saw me. They looked directly in my eye, both of them." McQueary said the entire encounter _ from when he first entered the locker room to when he retreated to his office _ lasted about 45 seconds. McQueary said he reported what he saw to Paterno but never went to police. He said he did not give Paterno explicit details of what he believed he'd seen, saying he wouldn't have used terms like sodomy or anal intercourse out of respect for the longtime coach. Paterno told the grand jury that McQueary reported seeing Sandusky doing something of a "sexual nature" with the youngster but that he didn't press for details. "I didn't push Mike ... because he was very upset," Paterno said. "I knew Mike was upset, and I knew some kind of inappropriate action was being taken by Jerry Sandusky with a youngster." McQueary said Paterno told him he'd "done the right thing" by reporting the encounter. The head coach appeared shocked and saddened and slumped back in his chair, McQueary said. Paterno told McQueary he would talk to others about what he'd reported. Nine or 10 days later, McQueary said he met with Curley and Schultz and told them he'd seen Sandusky and a boy, both naked, in the shower after hearing skin-on-skin slapping sounds. "I told them that I saw Jerry in the showers with a young boy and that what I had seen was extremely sexual and over the lines and it was wrong," McQueary said. "I would have described that it was extremely sexual and I thought that some kind of intercourse was going on." McQueary said he was left with the impression both men took his report seriously. When asked why he didn't go to police, he referenced Schultz's position as a vice president at the university who had overseen the campus police "I thought I was talking to the head of the police, to be frank with you," he said. "In my mind it was like speaking to a (district attorney). It was someone who police reported to and would know what to do with it." Curley told the grand jury that he couldn't recall his specific conversation with McQueary, but that McQueary never reported seeing anal intercourse or other sexual conduct. He said he recalled McQueary reporting wrestling or "horsing around." Schultz said he remembered McQueary and Paterno describing what the younger coach saw only in a very general way. "I had the impression it was inappropriate," Schultz told the grand jury. "I had the feeling it was some king of wrestling activity and maybe Jerry might have grabbed a young boys genitals." Under cross-examination, McQueary said he considered what he saw a crime but didn't call police because "it was delicate in nature." "I tried to use my best judgment," he said. "I was sure the act was over." He said he never tried to find the boy. Paterno, Schultz and Curley didn't testify, but Judge Wenner read their grand jury testimony from January in weighing the case. Curley's attorney, Caroline Roberto, said prosecutors "will never be able to reach their burden proof at a trial." Schultz's attorney, Tom Farrell, predicted his client would be acquitted. He also took a shot at Paterno, saying, "I'm an Italian from Brooklyn, and he may not have called the police but he may have done what I would have done, which is get the boys in the car with a few baseball bats and crowbars and take it to the fellow." Sandusky says he is innocent of more than 50 charges stemming from what authorities say were sexual assaults over 12 years on 10 boys in his home, on Penn State property and elsewhere. The scandal has provoked strong criticism that Penn State officials didn't do enough to stop Sandusky, and prompted the departures of Paterno and the school's longtime president, Graham Spanier. Curley, 57, Penn State's athletic director, was placed on leave by the university after his arrest. Schultz, 62, returned to retirement after spending about four decades at the school, most recently as senior vice president for business and finance, and treasurer. \|\|\|\|\| 1 of 4. Former Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley rides in the back seat of Gary Schultz's car after their arraignment on perjury charges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, November 7, 2011. HARRISBURG, Pa (Reuters) - A judge ruled on Friday that two former senior Penn State officials must stand trial on charges of lying to a grand jury about what they knew of sexual abuse allegations against former coach Jerry Sandusky. District Judge William Wenner decided there was enough evidence against former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and finance official Gary Schultz that they should be brought to trial. The ruling capped a court hearing where a key witness, Mike McQueary, testified in public for the first time that he saw Sandusky in a sex act with a 10-year-old boy in 2002. The explosive allegations against Sandusky have shocked the university and the college-sports world, and focused national attention on the serious problem of child sex abuse. The story told by McQueary, a graduate assistant in the university's football program at the time, is key to the case against the two Penn State officials and Sandusky. This is because McQueary testified that he personally witnessed the abuse and then told his boss, former head coach Joe Paterno, who in turn told Curley. Even though McQueary's account was passed up the line of authority at Penn State, no one told police and Sandusky's alleged behavior continued for years. Curley and Schultz deny that they lied to the grand jury and say that Paterno and McQueary only told them in general terms about the incident and not in graphic detail. Sandusky has been charged with 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 victims over 15 years. The identity of two of the victims, including the boy in the shower, remains unknown, prosecutors said. Sandusky has said he is innocent. "I believe he was sexually molesting the boy," McQueary testified at the hearing in the Dauphin County Courthouse on Friday. But McQueary also said: "I did not see insertion nor was there any protest, screaming or yelling." "I heard rhythmic slapping sounds, two or three slaps that sounded like skin on skin." He said he was "shocked, horrified, not thinking straight. I was distraught." McQueary said he witnessed the abuse on a Friday night, but it was not until Saturday that he told Paterno, who then waited for the close of the weekend to notify Curley and Schultz, who was in charge of campus police at the time. Failure to immediately notify local police has resulted in accusations of a cover-up and the firing of Penn State president Graham Spanier as well as Paterno. Both McQueary and Curley were placed on administrative leave and Schultz has retired to prepare his criminal defense. Now that the case is going to trial, it will be up to a jury to decide "whether McQueary has the credibility to address the high level of proof required to determine perjury," said Curley's attorney, Caroline Roberto. Key testimony at trial will also come from Paterno, who turns 85 next week, either in person or collected earlier, depending on his health, Deputy Attorney General Marc Costanzo told reporters. Paterno has been diagnosed with lung cancer and recently fell and broke his pelvis. McQueary spoke for two hours at the preliminary hearing in a courtroom packed with about 100 reporters and as many as 60 members of the public. McQueary, who was 28 at the time, testified that after witnessing the alleged incident he told his father: "I just saw coach Sandusky. What I saw was wrong and sexual." Asked if he used the phrase "anal intercourse" when he talked to Paterno about the incident, McQueary said, "No, out of respect, I would not have done it." Paterno told him, "I'm sorry you had to see that" and that McQueary had "done the absolute right thing," he testified. Paterno appeared "shocked and saddened" at what McQueary saw, and "slumped back in his chair," said McQueary, who was dressed in court in a dark suit, white shirt and blue tie. He said he had never confronted Sandusky himself about the incident, and that while he had "absolutely without a doubt" considered calling police, he did not. McQueary testified that he did tell Schultz about the incident and in doing so, "I thought I was talking to the head of police." He said he considered Schultz a sort of district attorney who "would know what to do" with the information. Asked by Schultz's attorney Tom Farrell if Sandusky had an erection, McQueary said: "I don't know. I didn't look and stare down there." Asked if he saw pain on the boy's face, McQueary said "no." McQueary's father, John McQueary, also testified on Friday. He said that in a meeting with Schultz after the event his son was told there had been a "noise level" about other incidents involving Sandusky, but the university "was never able to unearth anything or sink our teeth into anything substantial." Referring to his son's description of the sounds of the incident, the elder McQueary said while neither he nor Mike used the word thrusting, "you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out a sound like that would be thrusting." (Additional reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Greg McCune and Jerry Norton)	– Mike McQueary's testimony that he believes he saw Jerry Sandusky molesting a boy and that he fully conveyed what he had seen to two Penn State administrators helped seal the deal: A judge ruled today that prosecutors have enough evidence to send the officials' cases to trial, reports Reuters. Former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and finance official Gary Schultz are accused of lying to a grand jury about what McQueary told them. They told the grand jury that they recalled McQueary reporting only something inappropriate, like wrestling, but nothing as serious as rape, notes the AP.
These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. \|\|\|\|\| Image copyright Reuters Kit Kat's maker Nestle has been accused of copying Breakout, the 1970s computer game, in a marketing campaign. Atari, the company behind some of the most popular early video games, has filed a suit alleging Nestle knowingly exploited the game's look and feel. The advert showed a game similar to Breakout but where the bricks were replaced with single Kit Kat bars. Nestle said it was aware of the lawsuit and would defend itself "strongly" against the allegations. 'Plain and blatant' Breakout was created as a successor to "Pong" by Apple founders, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. In the advert, which is titled "Kit Kat: Breakout", a row of people, of varying ages and appearance, share a sofa and play a video game during their work break. In the game depicted, a primitive paddle moves side-to-side to bounce a ball into a collision with the horizontal bars ranged across the top of the screen. Atari alleges that the similarity with its original game "is so plain and blatant that Nestle cannot claim to be an 'innocent' infringer". The legal complaint against Nestle, filed in a San Francisco court on Thursday, claims that the Swiss chocolate maker had hoped to exploit "the special place [Breakout] holds among nostalgic Baby Boomers, Generation X, and even today's Millennial and post-Millennial 'gamers'". Nestle's spokesperson said: "This is a UK TV advert that ran in 2016. The ad no longer runs and we have no current plans to re-run it. "We are aware of the lawsuit in the US and will defend ourselves strongly against these allegations." \|\|\|\|\| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites.	– Nestle ripped off the classic Atari game Breakout in an ad for KitKat, the BBC reports. The video game maker charges in a lawsuit that Nestle broke copyright laws when it swiped Breakout's "look, feel, sound, and imagery" by replacing the video game's colored bricks with KitKat bars. The company also had problems with Nestle's choice of name—the ad campaign was titled "KitKat: Breakout." The suit filed in San Francisco says the Swiss food company leveraged the "special place" Breakout "holds among nostalgic baby boomers, Generation X, and even today's Millennial and post-Millennial 'gamers.'" The similarity to Breakout "is so plain and blatant that Nestle cannot claim to be an 'innocent' infringer." Atari is seeking three times Nestle's profit from the ad, plus three times other damages such as lost goodwill. Nestle, whose US and UK subsidiaries were named as defendants, says it will defend itself "strongly against these allegations," noting the ad ran on British television and on the internet in 2016. "The ad no longer runs and we have no current plans to re-run it," a rep tells the BBC. A follow-up to Atari's Pong, Breakout debuted in 1976 and went on to have several versions that use a paddle to bounce a ball upward to collide with horizontal bars. (You can play a version here.) It was the brainchild of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, who would later use it as a model for the Apple II, the first mass-produced home computer, per the Financial Times. (There's good news and bad news for guys who game.)
5. “She told me how much pain it brought her when people would question her about them or make comments,” she said. “No one should ever have to feel like a public museum for people to ridicule.” Loading View on Instagram “[Afterwards] people were asking her about her tattoo. The scars became irrelevant – a thing of the past. I want them to know that they no longer have to feel ashamed and that they no longer have to conceal their scars.” ID: 8145995 \|\|\|\|\| Last week, Whitney Develle, a tattoo artist based in Brisbane, Australia, posted on her Instagram that she would be dedicating one or two days a week to giving free tattoos to clients with a history of self-abuse; the tattoos would help cover the scars they had from self-harm. Develle was inspired to make the offer because of a friend who had cut herself while battling an eating disorder. "She told me how much pain it brought her when people would question her about them or make comments," Develle told 9news.au.com. "No one should ever have to feel like a public museum for people to ridicule." Develle offered, free of charge, to cover up her friend's scars with tattoos, and the effect that this had on her life was extraordinary. "The look on her face — money can't buy that,"Develle said. "[Afterwards] people were asking her about her tattoo. The scars became irrelevant — a thing of the past." Realizing she could give the same gift to others, Develle put up a posting on social media saying that she would give free tattoos to clients who wanted to conceal their self-inflicted scars. The response was so overwhelming that she has since had to amend the post to say she would only be able to provide 50 free sittings until the end of the year but will offer discounted rates to everyone else who is interested. "I want you to be able to look down at the scars that bring you pain, embarrassment, shame, and be able to put those feelings behind you and instead feel proud of the body part that now contains art and offers a new beginning," she wrote in her post. Develle is not the only artist making this type of generous offer, as tattoo artists all over the world are stepping up to help people move on with their lives. An Ohio-based artist named Brian Finn is similarly spending one day a week covering up scars that were inflicted due to domestic violence, human trafficking, and self-harm. And in Curitiba, Brazil, 31-year-old Flavia Carvalho transforms scars that women have gotten from domestic abuse or mastectomies into stunning floral tattoos. Follow Diana on Twitter. \|\|\|\|\| ATTENTION: I am now accepting no new emails regarding the free tattoo enquiries. I have received a substantial amount of emails and will be sending out my replies as soon as possible. I am only able to provide around 50 free day sittings, 1-2 each week until the end of the year.Please note that given the overwhelming amount of beautiful people out there, I have decided to dedicate more of my time to offering highly discounted rates to anyone who is seeking to move forward from their past and embark on a new beginning. I want you to be able to look down at the scars that bring you pain, embarrassment, shame, and be able to put those feelings behind you and instead feel proud of the body part that now contains art and offers a new beginning. If you are interested in this please email with an attached photo with the subject line of SCARS BOOKING, from there I will provide you with all the information necessary. Thank you again for coming forward, I await creating something for you to admire. Email: whitneydevelletattoos@hotmail.comInstagram: @whitneydevelle , Location: Garage Ink Brisbane. ✌️ NOTE: Due to the larger than expected amount of requests I have received it will take longer than first expected to respond to all emails. I am working my hardest to reply to each and every one of you. Please be patient at this time. ❤️	– A 22-year-old Australian tattoo artist is making headlines after offering free tattoos to people with scars from self-harm, BuzzFeed reports. "I want you to be able to look down at the scars that bring you pain, embarrassment, shame, and be able to put those feelings behind you and instead feel proud of the body part that now contains art and offers a new beginning," Whitney Develle wrote on Facebook and Instagram last week. The posts went viral, and Develle got so many responses she had to update her offer: She will provide 50 free tattoos between March 17 and the end of the year, and will offer discounted rates to others who want to cover their self-harm scars. The overwhelming response to her offer has been "humbling but also heartbreaking," Develle tells 9 News. She says she came up with the idea after a friend showed her her scars and told her how much it hurt when people commented on them; Develle says her friend was much happier after Develle tattooed over her scars and people started commenting on her tattoo instead. In her Facebook post, she notes, "This offer is not for people who are still self harming. Please have the courage to talk to a friend or family member about seeking professional help." Closer to home, Cosmopolitan notes that Brian Finn of Ohio has since October dedicated one day a week to giving free tattoos to those marked by domestic violence or self-harm. (Find more uplifting stories here.)
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Colombia’s largest ever drug seizure Police in Colombia say they have seized their largest ever domestic haul of illegal drugs - nearly eight tonnes of cocaine. The drugs had been hidden on a banana plantation near the north-western coastal town of Turbo. President Juan Manuel Santos congratulated officers on Twitter, saying: "Operation in Turbo seized the greatest amount in our history." Police say the drugs belonged to Clan Usuga, a criminal gang. Three suspects were arrested and another three escaped, a statement read. Image copyright EPA/Colombian Police Image caption Police put the haul on display in Turbo, capital of the Uraba region of Antioquia Image copyright EPA/Colombian Police Image caption Much of the haul was wrapped and ready for sale Image copyright AFP/Colombian Police Image caption The criminal gang Clan Usuga sends cocaine to Central America and on to the US Nearly 1.5 tonnes of the drugs had been wrapped and were "ready to go out to the export market", Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said. It was the largest seizure of cocaine on Colombian territory although there may have been slightly larger cocaine seizures at sea, he added. Clan Usuga is mainly engaged in drug trafficking but has also been accused of extortion, illegal mining, forced disappearances and murder, correspondents say. Colombian police estimate the gang has about 2,000 active members. Over the past five years, the security forces have captured 6,700 members of the group. Earlier this month, the Colombian government said it would launch air raids against gangs involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining. The new strategy specifically targets three gangs - Clan Usuga, Los Pelusos and Los Puntilleros. \|\|\|\|\| This photo released by Colombia's National Police shows packages of cocaine on display in Necocli, in the northwestern state of Antioquia, Colombia, Sunday, May 15, 2016. The National Police agency said... (Associated Press) This photo released by Colombia's National Police shows packages of cocaine on display in Necocli, in the northwestern state of Antioquia, Colombia, Sunday, May 15, 2016. The National Police agency said... (Associated Press) BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian authorities say they've made the biggest cocaine seizure in the history of a country long plagued by traffic in the drug. The National Police agency said Sunday that 50 commandos backed by helicopters seized about 8 tons of cocaine on a banana plantation in the northwestern department of Antioquia. It said the drug belonged to a gang known as the Clan Usuaga and was apparently destined for the Caribbean and then to the United States. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos sent a tweet congratulating police on what he called the largest cocaine seizure in the history of Colombia, one of the world's largest producers of the narcotic. Colombian police said they've seized more than 86 tons in all so far this year. Seizures of that size are rare but not unprecedented on a global scale. In March 2007, the U.S. Coast Guard seized nearly 20 tons of cocaine found on a cargo ship, the "Gatun," headed from the Panama Canal to the Mexican port of Topolobampo. Six years before, the Coast Guard found 13 tons of the drug aboard a Belize-flagged fishing boat that aroused suspicion while off the Mexican coast because it had no working fishing equipment and few fish. \|\|\|\|\| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| Story highlights It's the largest seizure in history on Colombian territory, officials say The gang targeted was the notorious Clan Úsuga (CNN) The country where drug lord Pablo Escobar once wielded more power than many elected officials made a staggering announcement over the weekend. Colombian authorities trumpeted what they said was their biggest cocaine seizure ever. Police seized more than eight metric tons (more than 17,500 pounds) of cocaine from a gang in a series of operations. The hefty haul weighs more than an African elephant and could have a street value of hundreds of millions of dollars. But there's an even bigger question looming: Is the massive seizure a sign that Colombia is closing in on its most wanted criminal? \|\|\|\|\| Colombia Survey 2014: UNODC study shows significant increase in coca leaf production in high density areas 2 July 2015 - The latest Colombia Coca Survey, produced by UNODC jointly with the Colombian Government, was released today showing that the country's cultivation area and cocaine production both increased substantially in 2014 compared to the previous year. The Survey notes that the net coca cultivation area was up 44 per cent year-on-year from 48,000 hectares in 2013 to 69,000 a year later, while the potential cocaine production, in turn, rose from 290 to 442 metric tons in the same period representing a 52 per cent increase. The annual Survey is based on images collected by satellite, and includes all data regarding cultivation and eradication efforts in Colombia. This year's Survey indicates that while the cultivation area of coca bush decreased in some Colombian regions (Amazon, Orinoco and Sierra Nevada), it rose in others (Pacific, Central, Putumayo-Caquetá and Meta-Guaviare). In the latter, coca crops grew strongly in two national parks, namely La Macarena and Nukak. The presence of coca also increased in Afro-Colombian and indigenous areas. A noteworthy regional increase in coca cultivation area took place in the Putumayo-Caquetá region, which saw a growth of 68 per cent - increasing from some 12,000 ha to more than 20,000 ha - while the region with the biggest cultivated area, the Pacific, registered an increase of 40 percent, from close to 18,600 ha to almost 26,000 ha. The value of coca leaf production and coca derived farm products (coca paste and cocaine base) also climbed by 40 per cent, from $292 million in 2013 to $408 million in 2014. This is the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Colombia's GDP and three per cent of the share of GDP related to agriculture. Households involved in coca cultivation increased by 6.4 per cent between 2013 and 2014, from around 60,000, to almost 64,500. Their average annual income from this activity, which includes producing coca leaf, coca paste and cocaine base, also recorded a rise of 11.5 per cent from $1,040 to $1,160. Speaking at today's Survey launch in Bogotá, Bo Mathiasen, UNODC Representative in Colombia, noted: "Illicit crops have not brought positive development to communities anywhere in the world. For this reason UNODC encourages the Government of Colombia to maintain and increase the alternative development programme in the country." Over the past 11 years, Colombia's alternative development projects - which are aimed at developing alternative sources of income for farmers dependent on illicit drug cultivation - have positively impacted nearly 180,000 families. Through this strategy, these families have improved their quality of life and obtained a licit source of income. Alternative development is therefore not only useful to counter coca crops, but also other illicit activities which threaten the country's most vulnerable regions. Note: Some figures from 2013 have been revised after the publication of last's year Survey to reflect new information that became available after publication. Further information: Full Colombia Coca Survey (in Spanish): Monitoreo de Cultivos de Coca Colombia 2014 UNODC in Colombia \|\|\|\|\| BOGOTA, Colombia — Police confiscated 8.8 tons of cocaine along the border with Panama, Colombia's government said on Sunday. With an estimated value of $240 million, the haul was discovered in an underground hideaway on a banana plantation in the municipality of Turbo, officials said. Three people were arrested in the operation. More than eight tons of cocaine was seized in Turbo, Colombia, on Sunday. COLOMBIAN POLICE HO/AFP/Getty Images COLOMBIAN POLICE / AFP - Getty Images "The biggest seizure of drugs in history. A hit against criminals," Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Twitter. Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said the drugs belonged to the Clan Usuga crime gang. The United States has offered a $5 million reward for the capture of the gang's leader. Colombia produces some 487 tons of cocaine annually, according to the United Nations. Colombian authorities seized 278 tons of the narcotic in 2015. \|\|\|\|\| U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly T. Currie of the Eastern District of New York and Regional Director Jay Bergman of the Andean Region of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced today the unsealing of five indictments in U.S. federal courts in Brooklyn, New York, and Miami charging 17 alleged leaders and associates of Colombia’s largest and most influential BACRIM (banda criminal or criminal group), Clan Usuga (formerly referred to as Los Urabeños). The alleged leaders and other high-ranking members of Clan Usuga are charged with operating continuing criminal enterprises, participating in international cocaine trafficking conspiracies and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Clan Usuga and many of its principal leaders have been previously designated by the President of the United States and the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control as specially designated narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The Department of State has posted a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of alleged Clan Usuga principal leader Dairo Antonio Usuga David, also known as Otoniel. “The cases referenced today demonstrate that the U.S. government, in collaboration with our international law enforcement partners, continues to successfully combat leaders and associates of BACRIM criminal enterprises that seek to supply narcotics to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ferrer. “Together, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Colombian authorities strive to systematically dismantle one BACRIM structure after another and eliminate the threat they pose to our communities.” “The indictments announced today are the result of a sweeping national and international effort to stem the flow of drugs across the world and into our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Currie. “We stand united with our partners in Colombia in our unwavering commitment to root out the leaders of drug trafficking criminal enterprises wherever they may be found.” U.S. Attorney Ferrer and Acting U.S. Attorney Currie extended their grateful appreciation to the DEA’s New York Field Division, Miami Field Division and the Bogotá Country Office as well as the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) New York El Dorado Task Force and the Colombian National Police, the agencies responsible for leading the investigations. Mr. Ferrer and Mr. Currie also expressed their gratitude for the invaluable assistance provided by the Colombian Fiscalia General and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. “These indictments are the culmination of years of work and far too often heartfelt sacrifice by the brave men and women of the Colombian National Police and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Colombia,” said DEA Regional Director Bergman. “These indictments represent the United States’ steadfast bilateral commitment to conclusively dismantle what is the largest and arguably the last of the nationally structured criminal bands in Colombia.” “Today’s indictments illustrate our commitment, along with our international law enforcement partners to disrupt a criminal network responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States,” said Country Attaché Luis Sierra of ICE-HSI in Colombia. “HSI will continue to use its unique customs authorities to attack and dismantle these types of organizations and will aggressively pursue leads, regardless of where that information may lead us.” Six of the Clan Usuga leaders were charged in both Brooklyn and Miami. Dairo Antonio Usuga-David aka “Otoniel,” “Mao,” “Gallo,” and “Mauricio-Gallo,” is alleged to be the principal leader of CLAN USUGA. Roberto Vargas Gutierrez aka “Gavilan,” Carlos Alberto Moreno Turberquia aka “Nicolas,” Aristides Manuel Mesa Paez aka “El Indio,” and Cesar Daniel Anaya Martinez aka “Tierra,” are alleged commanders of Clan Usuga responsible for collecting drug taxes, managing armed combatants and maintaining control over specific territorial areas within Colombia. Also charged in Brooklyn and Miami is an alleged manager of Clan Usuga, Ramiro Caro Pineda aka “Nolasco,” who was in charge of collecting drug taxes, coordinating drug shipments and maintaining control over airstrips and ports on the coast of Colombia. The Brooklyn indictments also charge seven other cartel leaders, including Daniel Rendon-Herrera aka “Don Mario,” the original founder and prior leader of Clan Usuga; Luis Orlando Padierna Pena aka “Inglaterra,” and Jobanis de Jesus Avila Villadiego aka “Chiquito” and “Chiquito Malo,” commanders of Clan Usuga; and Jhoni Alberto Grajales aka “Guajiro,” Orlando Gutierrez-Rendon aka “Negro Orlando,” Gustavo Palomino Araujo aka “Camilo,” and Eduard Fernando Cardoza-Giraldo aka “Boliqueso” – alleged leaders of drug collections offices and paramilitary armed groups aligned with Clan Usuga. A Miami indictment unsealed today charges Dairo Antonio Usuga-David aka “Otoniel,” “Mao,” and “Mauricio,” Jairo De Jesus Durango Restrepo aka “Gua Gua,” Roberto Vargas Gutierrez aka “Gavilan,” Aristides Manuel Mesa Paez aka “El Indio,” Alverio Feo Alvarado aka “Benevides,” Oscar David Pulgarin-Ganan aka “Nino” and “Coroso,” Ramiro Caro-Pineda aka “Nolasco” and “Hugo,” Cesar Daniel Anaya Martinez aka “Tierra,” and Eduardo Luis Vargas Gutierrez aka “Pipon,” with conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing that it would be imported into the United States. Specifically, the defendants are charged with the distribution from as early as 2002 through June 2015, in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico and elsewhere. According to a previously unsealed superseding indictment out of Miami, beginning around October 2006 through Feb. 10, 2012, defendants Henry De Jesus Lopez Londono aka “Mi Sangre,” “Salvador,” “Carlos Mario,” “Brother,” “Krackin,” and “Federico,” Jhon Fernando Giraldo Usuga aka “Simon,” and “Revenlino,” Arley Usuga Torres aka “07,” “Siete,” and “Samuel,” Jose Carlos Londono Robledo aka “Tito” and “Wolverine,” Carlos Antonio Moreno Tuberquia aka “Nicholas,” Edison Gomez Molina aka “El Doctor,” and Juan Diego Giraldo Usuga aka “Menor” and “Camilo,” are charged with conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine knowing that it would be imported into the United States. Gomez Molina, Giraldo Usuga and Fernando Usuga pleaded guilty to the superseding indictment on Nov. 26, 2013, March 20, 2014, and May 8, 2014, respectively. According to their stipulated factual proffers, from at least October 2006 through February 2012, Gomez Molina, Giraldo Usuga and Fernando Usuga, along with others, used airplanes and other means of transportation to ship multiple loads of cocaine from Colombia to Central America. The loads ranged anywhere from 300 to 600 kilograms each. From there, the cocaine would be delivered to representatives of other organizations, who would take the cocaine and ultimately import it into the United States. Each defendant admitted that he was responsible for the shipment or attempted shipment of at least 150 kilograms of cocaine and knew that the cocaine would ultimately be imported into the United States. Gomez Molina was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison on Feb. 4, 2014. Girlado Usuga was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison on June 9, 2014. Fernando Usuga was sentenced to serve 168 months in prison on Aug. 29, 2014. In another Miami indictment, Victor Alfonso Mosquera Perez aka “Negro,” is charged with conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing that it would be imported into the United States. Specifically, the distribution allegedly occurred from as early as 2008 until approximately May 9, 2014, in Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua and elsewhere. According to another indictment, Andres Fernandez Perez-Restrepo aka “Anthrax,” is charged with conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing that it would imported into the United States. Specifically, the defendant is alleged to have committed the distribution from at least as early as July 2012 through March 2, 2014, in Colombia, Honduras and elsewhere. As detailed in one of the Brooklyn indictments, between June 2003 and December 2014, Usuga-David, Vargas Gutierrez, Moreno Turberquia, Padierna Pena, Avila Villadiego, Anaya Martinez and others, as leaders of Clan Usuga, conspired to import more than 73 metric tons of cocaine into the United States. Clan Usuga coordinated the production, purchase and transfer of multi-ton shipments of cocaine, as well as the receipt of shipments of cocaine in Mexico and Central America, for ultimate importation into the United States. Clan Usuga also controlled territory in various areas in Colombia and imposed a tax on any drug traffickers operating in those territories – a set fee for every kilogram of cocaine that was manufactured, stored or transported through areas under their control. The indictment further alleges that these defendants employed sicarios, or hitmen, who carried out acts of violence including murders, assaults, kidnappings and assassinations to collect drug debts, maintain discipline, control and expand drug territory and to promote and enhance the position of the organization. In a second of the indictments unsealed in Brooklyn, Orlando Gutierrez-Rendon aka “Negro Orlando,” is charged with leading the Gutierrez-Rendon drug trafficking organization, a cocaine trafficking and cocaine-debt collection organization based in Cali, Colombia, that was aligned with Clan Usuga. According to the indictment, the Gutierrez-Rendon’s organization was involved in multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico, El Salvador and Panama for ultimate importation into the United States. The organization is also alleged to have acted as a collection agency, using violence and murder to collect payments and outstanding debts related to cocaine shipments on behalf of Clan Usuga. In exchange for its role in collecting funds, the organization received ownership interests in the cocaine shipments. Gutierrez-Rendon is also charged with conspiring to murder rival drug traffickers, including the murder of Samir Garcia. Between January 2006 and May 2013, Gutierrez-Rendon allegedly imported more than 30,000 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. In a third Brooklyn indictment, Gustavo Palomino Araujo aka “Soldado,” “Zarco,” and “Camilo,” is charged with leading the Palomino Araujo, an organization responsible for cocaine trafficking, cocaine-debt collection and a paramilitary organization based in Cali, Colombia, that was aligned with Clan Usuga. The organization allegedly facilitated the transfer of multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico and Central America for importation into the United States, controlled territory in various areas in Colombia, imposed a tax on any drug traffickers operating in regions under its control and employed sicarios, or hitmen, to collect debts. Palomino Araujo is also charged with conspiring to murder numerous drug rivals. In the fourth Brooklyn indictment, Eduard Fernando Cardoza-Giraldo aka “Boliqueso,” is charged with international cocaine trafficking in connection with his role in controlling a drug debt collection office aligned with Clan Usuga. In all, 25 individuals have been charged in the investigations coordinated between the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Brooklyn and Miami. All of the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison, if convicted of the charges against them. Certain individuals named in indictments unsealed today have also been charged by other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country. These cases are the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement. The cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven L. Tiscione, Gina M. Parlovecchio and Margaret Lee of the office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. The cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nadler of the office’s Narcotics Section. An indictment is a formal charging document notifying the defendant of the charges. All persons charged in an indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty.	– Colombia's Defense Ministry has announced what it says is the country's biggest cocaine bust ever, with 17,500 pounds of coke seized from the nation's most notorious trafficking gang, CNN reports. The multiday operation targeted Clan Usuga, which has been described by the US Justice Department as Colombia's "largest and most influential [criminal group]." Per the AP, the more than 8 tons of coke was taken from a banana plantation in the northwestern department of Antioquia, with at least 50 commandos swooping into the compound, backed up by choppers. The drugs were said to be found in an underground tank buried 8 feet deep, covered by wood and cement, RT.com reports. At least three people were arrested in the sting; the BBC reports three suspects escaped. "The biggest seizure of drugs in history. A hit against criminals," President Juan Manuel Santos tweeted Sunday, per NBC News. The drugs, with an estimated value of $240 million, were reportedly being prepped for transfer to the Caribbean, then the US. Although Clan Usuga, also known as Los Urabenos, is heavily involved in the drug market, it's also faced accusations of extortion, illegal mining, forced disappearances, and murder. Security officials have nabbed about 6,700 gang members over the past five years, leaving about 2,000 active members today, per local police. The US State Department has offered a $5 million reward for info leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Dario Antonio Usaga David, one of the leaders of the gang. Colombia is said to produce about 487 tons of cocaine annually, per the United Nations. (Is this Colombian woman the DEA's new El Chapo?)
UPDATED: The first tentpole of summer 2013 rolled out at the international box office a week ahead of its May 3 North American debut. Marvel Studios and Disney's Iron Man 3 has blasted into the stratosphere overseas, opening to $198.4. million from 42 markets to beat last year's global blockbuster The Avengers, which debuted to $185.1 million internationally. Box office observers agree that Iron Man 3 is playing more like a sequel to last summer's The Avengers -- which featured a myriad of Marvel superheroes, including Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man -- than a follow-up to Iron Man 2, which posted a foreign opening of roughly $100 million in 2010. BOX OFFICE: 'Croods' Crosses $300 Million Overseas The mammoth foreign opening bodes well for the tentpole's domestic prospects, and is already whipping up speculation as to whether the threequel can match or better Avengers in North America. Avengers debuted to $207.4 million domestically, the top number of all time. Disney president of worldwide distribution Dave Hollis didn't want to speculate as to whether Iron Man 3 could reach that number but said the film is clearly off to a stellar start. "To say we are beyond encouraged is an understatement," he said. Iron Man 3, another victory for Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feig, is breaking a slew of records overseas, scoring the biggest opening weekend ever Asia Pacific and Latin America, and in individual countries including Argentina, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. It also scored the top Marvel opening in another raft of markets. VIDEO: 'Iron Man 3' Trailer Shows a Tense Tony Stark Teaming Downey with franchise newcomer, director Shane Black, Iron Man 3 opened at the international box office ahead of its May 3 North American launch, as Iron Man 2 did in 2010. Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle also are returning cast members. Iron Man 3, which has been well received by critics so far, is playing in roughly 80 percent of the foreign marketplace, excluding major markets Russia and China, where DMG Entertainment put up some of the financing. It saw its biggest gross in the U.K. ($21.5 million), followed by Korea ($19.2 million), Australia ($18.4 million), Mexico ($16.1 million), France ($14.7 million), Brazil ($12.3 million), Italy ($11.2 million), Taiwan ($8.4 million), Philippines ($7.4 million), Japan ($5.4 million), India ($5.2 million), Spain ($5 million), Hong Kong ($4.9 million), Malaysia ($4.6 million) and Indonesia ($4.5 million), among other markets. The tentpole broke numerous records for 113 IMAX theaters, which took in $7.2 million for a per screen average of $64,000, coming in ahead of any Marvel title, including Avengers. Twitter: @PamelaDayM Below, the cast of Iron Man 3 talks with THR on the red carpet at the film's premiere: \|\|\|\|\| This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows, from left, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie and Mark Wahlberg in a scene from "Pain and Gain." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Jaime Trueblood) (Associated Press) "Iron Man 3" is the heavy-lifter at theaters with a colossal overseas debut that overshadows a sleepy pre-summer weekend at the domestic box office. The superhero sequel starring Robert Downey Jr. got a head-start on its domestic launch next Friday with a $195.3 million opening in 42 overseas markets. Sunday studio estimates show director Michael Bay's true-crime tale "Pain & Gain" muscled into first-place domestically with a $20 million debut. The movie starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie knocked off Tom Cruise's sci-fi adventure "Oblivion" after a week in the No. 1 spot. "Oblivion" slipped to second-place with $17.4 million, raising its domestic total to $64.7 million.	– Iron Man 3 hasn't even opened in the United States yet, but its global premiere got off to a thunderous $195.3 million start this weekend—even trouncing the $185.1 million mark set by last year's The Avengers, reports the Hollywood Reporter. That bodes well ahead of its American premiere on Friday, underscoring its chances of unseating The Avengers' record $207.4 million domestic opening. "To say we are beyond encouraged is an understatement," says a studio exec. This weekend's domestic numbers were much more modest, adds the AP: Mark Wahlberg's Pain & Gain posted a $20 million debut for the No. 1 spot, while Tom Cruise's Oblivion dropped to No. 2 with $17.4 million.
Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. \|\|\|\|\| Former Education Secretary William Bennett said Sunday that schools should consider arming employees in order to prevent mass shootings. "I'm not sure so -- and I'm sure I'll get nailed for this -- I wouldn't want one person in a school armed, ready for this kind of thing," Bennett said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "It has to be someone who is trained, it has to be someone who is responsible," he said. "But my God, if you can prevent this kind of thing." Bennett said that in the latest school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the principal and school psychologist of Sandy Hook Elementary School tried to defend the children against the attacker — but they were unarmed. "The principal lunged at this guy. The school psychologist lunged at the guy," Bennett said. Bennett served as the education secretary under President Ronald Reagan, and drug czar under President George H.W. Bush. Read more about: Connecticut School Shooting, William Bennett \|\|\|\|\| Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said Sunday that lawmakers need to keep an open mind when discussing gun control and that having more guns, rather than fewer, would help protect citizens in future situations like the Newtown, Conn., school shooting. "Every mass killing of more than three people in recent history has been in a place where guns were prohibited," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "They choose this place, they know no one will be armed." He argued that if Sandy Hook Principal Dawn Hochsprung, who was killed trying to protect her students Friday, had had a gun in her office, the situation could have turned out differently. "I wish to God she had had an M4 in her office locked up and so when she heard gunshots … she takes his head off before he can hurt those kids," he said. Gohmert said any discussion of gun control reforms needs to be an "open-minded" one. "Sen. [Dick] Durbin’s right, but the conversation we’ve got to have has got to have everybody open-minded," Gohmert said. "We all react emotionally, that’s why we’ve all shed tears and our prayers will continue to go to the people in Connecticut who’ve lost loved ones." Read more about: Louie Gohmert, Connecticut School Shooting \|\|\|\|\| California Sen. Dianne Feinstein — a top Democrat and leading liberal voice in the Senate — vowed on Sunday to reintroduce a federal ban on assault weapons and urged President Barack Obama to lead on the issue. "I can tell you that he is going to have a bill to lead on because as a first-day bill I'm going to introduce in the Senate and the same bill will be introduced in the House - a bill to ban assault weapons," Feinstein said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "It will ban the sale, the transfer, the importation and the possession. Not retroactively but prospectively. And it will ban the same for big clips, drums or strips of more than 10 bullets." Her remarks come just two day after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. — where Adam Lanza reportedly used a Bushmaster .223 assault rifle to kill 26 people, including 20 children. Assault weapons were banned under the Federal Assault Weapons Ban from 1994 to 2004, but Congress allowed the ban to lapse. Obama has said he would support a reintroducing of the bill. "There will be a bill. We've been working on it now for a year," Feinstein said. "We've tried to take my bill from '94 to 2004 and perfect it. We believe we have. We exempt over 900 specific weapons that will not fall under the bill. But the purpose of this bill is to get just what Mayor Bloomberg said, weapons of war, off the streets of our cities." Feinstein said that skeptics didn't believe that she could get the original assault weapons ban through Congress, including then Sen. Joe Biden. "I told Joe Biden, who was chairman of the Judiciary Committee, that I was going to move this as an amendment on the crime bill, he laughed at me," Feinstein said. "He said, 'You're new here. Wait till you learn.'" "We got it through the Senate. We got it through the House. The White House came alive, and the House of Representatives and the Clinton administration helped. The bill was passed and the president signed it. It can be done," she said. Read more about: Dianne Feinstein, Connecticut School Shooting \|\|\|\|\| Conn. senators promise to tackle guns Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen.-elect Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) vowed on Sunday to take up the issue of guns on the floor of the Senate. "I'm hearing from the community as well as my colleagues in law enforcement: We need to do something," Blumenthal said on ABC's "This Week," citing his years as a prosecutor and his ties to the law enforcement community. "Out of respect for the families and their grief, I'm not going to be more specific about that conversation," Blumenthal said, just two days after the shooting that killed 26 at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Conn. "Certainly, this horrible episode and incident and crime by this derange person possessed by demons, as you have put it, will spur and transform, I think, the national conversation," Blumenthal said. "I intend to talk about it on the floor of the United States Senate." "The time for sort of saying that we can't talk about the policy implications of tragedies like this is over," Murphy said. "We're going to be on the floor of the Senate very soon talking about where we go from here." \|\|\|\|\| New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sunday that it was a "myth" that the National Rifle Association could destroy political careers. "One of the things I decided to do in this last election was to support some candidates that were running against those that had great records with the NRA. Where the NRA was putting their money into one side, I decided to put my money into the other side," Bloomberg said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We won four out of seven," he said. "And we won with a small amount of money. There is this myth that the NRA is so powerful." "Today, the NRA's power is so vastly overrated. The public, when you do the polls, they want to stop this carnage. And if 20 kids isn't enough to convince 'em, I don't know what would be," Bloomberg said in the aftermath of the deadly shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn. The mayor — an outspoken advocate against illegal guns — said that the lobbying group failed to unseat President Barack Obama in November's election as well. "The NRA's number one objective this time was to defeat Barack Obama for a second term. Last time I checked the election results, he won and he won comfortably," Bloomberg said. "This myth that the NRA can destroy political careers is just not true." In the aftermath of the latest shooting, some critics are calling for a revision of the nation's gun laws — something that the NRA has long opposed. "If Congress wasn't so afraid of the NRA — and I can show you that they have no reason to be — but if they were to stand up and do what was right for the American public, we'd all be a lot better off," Bloomberg said. Read more about: Michael Bloomberg, NRA, Connecticut School Shooting \|\|\|\|\| NBC's David Gregory said Sunday that not a single pro-gun-rights senator accepted a "Meet The Press" invitation to appear on the show. "A note here this morning: We reached out to all 31 pro-gun rights senators in the new congress to invite them on the program to share their views on the subject this morning," he said. "We had no takers." Instead, the show booked gun control supporters Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. Read more about: Meet The Press, Guns, Connecticut School Shooting \|\|\|\|\| Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday called for three specific steps Congress can take to stop gun violence in the United States, starting with the restoration of the federal assault weapons ban. "One is to ban assault weapons, try and reinstate the assault weapons bans," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "Second is to limit the size of clips to maybe no more than 10 bullets per clip, and third is to make it harder for mentally unstable people to get guns." Schumer said any action on reforming gun laws has been difficult thus far because of political gridlock on Capitol Hill. "We’ve been gridlocked," he said. "We need a new paradigm … Both sides are in their corner and they can come to the middle" He added that, just as anti-gun control advocates need to be willing to compromise, those in favor of stronger gun laws need to acknowledge the Second Amendment rights of ordinary citizens. "Those of us who are pro-gun control have to admit that there is a Second Amendment right to bear arms," he said. Read more about: Chuck Schumer, Connecticut School Shooting	– Gun control has roared back into the national debate, and the issue took over today's political talk shows in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, though David Gregory noted that all 31 pro-gun rights members of the incoming Senate declined his invitation to appear on Meet the Press. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, however, wasted no time in vowing to reintroduce a ban on assault weapons, saying, "There will be a bill. It will ban the sale, the transfer, the importation, and the possession. Not retroactively but prospectively." President Obama, she vowed, "is going to have a bill to lead on." Elsewhere on your Sunday dial, as per Politico: Rep. Louis Gohmert, R-Texas: "The conversation we’ve got to have has got to have everybody open-minded," he said, adding that he wished Principal Dawn Hochsprung "had had an M4 in her office locked up and so when she heard gunshots … she takes his head off before he can hurt those kids." Conn. Sen-elect Patrick Murphy: "The time for sort of saying that we can't talk about the policy implications of tragedies like this is over. We're going to be on the floor of the Senate very soon talking about where we go from here." Conn. Sen. Richard Blumenthal: "I'm hearing from the community as well as my colleagues in law enforcement: We need to do something. Out of respect for the families and their grief, I'm not going to be more specific about that conversation." Former education secretary William Bennett: "I'm not sure so—and I'm sure I'll get nailed for this—I wouldn't want one person in a school armed, ready for this kind of thing. It has to be someone who is trained, it has to be someone who is responsible. But my God, if you can prevent this kind of thing..." Michael Bloomberg on the NRA: "Today, the NRA's power is so vastly overrated. The public, when you do the polls, they want to stop this carnage. And if 20 kids isn't enough to convince 'em, I don't know what would be," he said, adding that, "This myth that the NRA can destroy political careers is just not true." Chuck Schumer's three steps: "One is to ban assault weapons, try and reinstate the assault weapons bans. Second is to limit the size of clips to maybe no more than 10 bullets per clip, and third is to make it harder for mentally unstable people to get guns."
Torso Recovered in London Canal May Be That of Missing British Actress Gemma McCluskie Gemma McCluskie. Image credit: Zuma The torso London police found in a canal may be that of missing British TV actress Gemma McCluskie, and her older brother has been arrested, according to reports in the British media. McCluskie, who had appeared in the popular series "EastEnders," went missing March 1. Police have not confirmed the identity of the victim or the man they arrested, but various media outlets, including the BBC and Sky News, say authorities know the victim's identity but are waiting for confirmation. The woman's friends had been appealing through social media for tips to help track her down. McCluskie's brother, 35-year-old Tony, was arrested today, according to media reports citing unnamed sources. During previous search efforts he had told the press that his sister's disappearance was out of character. "We are going out of our mind with worry," he said, according to the Daily Mail. "She is a bubbly, outgoing, strong and independent woman." Police made the gruesome discovery after being alerted to something suspicious floating in the canal. \|\|\|\|\| Brother of missing former EastEnders actress is arrested after police divers pull headless body from canal Tony McCluskie is in custody at an east London police station Gemma McCluskie was last seen at home last Thursday By Chris Greenwood and Nazia Parveen Last updated at 2:01 AM on 8th March 2012 The brother of a missing EastEnders actress was last night being questioned by murder detectives after a headless body was pulled from a canal. The dismembered torso, feared to be that of Gemma McCluskie, 29, was discovered floating a short distance from her home. Sources said the body was naked and the arms, legs and head had been cut off with a sharp tool. Frantic: The brothers of the ex-Eastenders' actress have been searching for her since she disappeared from her home in Bethnal Green, East London Miss McCluskie’s brother Tony, 35, was arrested yesterday when officers raided the East London home they shared. Hours earlier he had joined family members in an increasingly frantic search for his sister, who had been missing since last Thursday. He told friends her disappearance was ‘completely’ out of character and she had never been missing before. ‘We are going out of our mind with worry,’ he said. ‘She is a bubbly, outgoing, strong and independent woman.’ TV past: Mcluskie with Dean Gaffney in Eastenders. She appeared in more than 30 episodes of the BBC soap Miss McCluskie appeared in more than 30 episodes of the BBC soap opera as teenage temptress Kerry Skinner in 2001. The part was her only high-profile acting role and it is thought more recently she may have been acting as a carer for her elderly mother, who lived with her and her brother. Their £280,000 maisonette in Bethnal Green was last night sealed off and was being searched by forensics officers. Unidentified: A police diver searches a canal next to Broadway Market, East London after a body was found Crime scene: Police seal off the towpath and canal next to Broadway Market in east London after a torso was found in the water Mystery: A diver prepares to enter the water at Regents Canal, where the body was found as the search for Gemma McCluskie continued Neighbours said they were stunned by the developments. Margaret O’Carroll, who lives two doors away, said news of the body being found could ‘kill’ Miss McCluskie’s mother, Pauline, who she said had been ill for several years and walked with the aid of sticks. ‘I don’t know what Pauline would do without Gemma,’ she said. ‘Gemma used to take her mum everywhere in her car. The whole family are quite pleasant. She lived here with her mum and her brother Tony. He was always very quiet.’ Another neighbour described Miss McCluskie as a ‘happy-go-lucky girl’ who had never boasted about her TV past. Role: Gemma McCluskie, right, appearing in show opposite Dean Gaffney as Robbie Jackson. The two characters briefly dated Screen star: Gemma McCluskie, left, playing Kerry Skinner alongside Michelle Ryan, who appeared in EastEnders as Zoe Slater The torso was found in Regent’s Canal on Tuesday afternoon. Police frogmen were expected to continue to search for body parts today. The discovery was made in a busy area of the canal packed with houseboats, close to the popular Broadway Market. The young actress was last seen in a Hackney kebab shop after a night out. Desperate plea: Ex-Eastenders star Natalie Cassidy has been assisting the search on Twitter Famous names: Miss McCluskie's fellow former Eastenders stars including Brooke Kinsella and Martine McCutcheon went on Twitter to appeal for help to find her (pictured) More than 100 people, including Miss McCluskie’s second brother Danny, mounted a high-profile search, which former EastEnders stars Martine McCutcheon and Brooke Kinsella helped to promote on Twitter. During the search Tony McCluskie changed his Facebook page to display simply a poster of his sister’s photograph alongside an appeal for information. Last night the family said they did not want to speak following the discovery of the body. Two bouquets were left close to where the body was found. One note read: ‘Gemma, we will miss you always.’	– A torso found in a London canal is believed to be that of an actress in the popular British series EastEnders, and her older brother has been arrested. Gemma McCluskie, 29, has been missing for a week, reports ABC. The torso was found in Regents Canal close to McCluskie's home. It's not yet clear why her 35-year-old brother, Tony, has been linked to the murder. He told the Daily Mail last week when his sister went missing that he and his family "were going out of our mind with worry. She is a bubbly, outgoing, strong and independent woman.”
DeAndre Jordan spurned the Mavericks last week, reneging on a verbal agreement to sign with the team and instead signing a four-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers in one of the craziest free agency sagas in NBA history. On Friday evening, Jordan apologized to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Dallas fans in a short apology posted on Twitter. I want to publicly apologize to one of the best owners in the world @MCuban, the @DallasMavs and their fans. — DeAndre Jordan (@deandrejordan6) July 11, 2015 I am humbled by @DallasMavs & @MCuban kindness and understanding. I am sorry to have a change of heart. — DeAndre Jordan (@deandrejordan6) July 11, 2015 Jordan’s “change of heart” put the Mavericks in an incredibly difficult situation, as the team stopped pursuing other coveted free agent centers for a week, believing Jordan was the team’s new centerpiece. After it was clear Jordan was returning to Los Angeles, the Mavericks agreed to a trade for Milwaukee’s Zaza Pachulia, a 31-year-old veteran who cost the Mavericks a future second-round pick. In a post on Cyber Dust, Cuban sent a message to Mavericks fans and dismissed Jordan’s apology. \|\|\|\|\| Add a location to your Tweets When you tweet with a location, Twitter stores that location. You can switch location on/off before each Tweet and always have the option to delete your location history. Learn more	– The week's public apologies includes a reminder to all, but especially to celebrities, that public doughnut licking is never going to end well: A two-fer: "I feel like I could have expressed myself in a different way so here I am apologizing again. I was trying to get you to understand where I was coming from when I said what I said, but that's not important—I'd rather just apologize."—Singer Ariana Grande, who apologized not once, but twice, after getting caught on video licking doughnuts in a shop and saying she hated America. (She hates America's obesity, not America per se, as it turns out.) Yes, he really did that: "I would like to sincerely apologize to the Broadway community, all the other people in the audience that night, and most importantly the cast and crew of Hand to God."—Nick Silvestri, who delayed the start of a Broadway show by jumping on stage and plugging his phone charger into an outlet. (The outlet was just a prop anyway.) Damage control: "Paula immediately had this picture taken down as soon as she saw the post and apologizes to all who were offended."—Paula Deen spokesperson, after someone tweeted a photo of Deen and her son in costume, the latter in brownface. Not accepted: "I want to publicly apologize to one of the best owners in the @MCuban, the @DallasMavs and their fans."—NBA star DeAndre Jordan, after reneging on a verbal deal to sign with the Mavericks and going elsewhere. This one's made more interesting by the response of owner Mark Cuban: "When is an apology not an apology? When you didn't write it yourself." Out of work: "Once we saw this abhorrent video released @TheSun we took the decision to sack the individuals involved. We apologise for any offence."—HSBC's UK press office (hence the British spellings) after six workers thought it would be funny to make a mock ISIS execution video as a team-building exercise. Turns out, it wasn't funny.
Paris (CNN) -- A French writer filed a criminal complaint Tuesday against embattled former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, alleging attempted rape, according to her attorney David Koubbi. Tristane Banon, 32, filed the new claim just as a separate New York case against the French financier appeared to be on shaky ground. A Strauss-Kahn lawyer in France said he had filed a counterclaim against Banon for "false declarations." French prosecutors are expected to review the complaint and determine whether there is enough evidence to press charges. Though the alleged attack occurred in 2003, the statute of limitations on attempted rape is 10 years. In an interview with the French news-magazine L'Express, Banon said she decided to act because she was fed up with being labelled a liar, having not previously filed a criminal complaint. Banon said Strauss-Kahn's alleged assault had been widely discussed in light of the charges he faces in New York and she now had a chance to tell her own story and be listened to. "If I want one day to put an end to this hell of the past eight years, it has to go to court," she told the magazine. Asked about the delay in coming forward to report the attempted rape, Banon said it was difficult for all women in this situation. She added that she had been reluctant to go over and over the details, when all she wanted to do was forget about it. It was even harder to face that prospect when the she knew that the attempt would likely fail, she told L'Express, because no-one would believe the word of a young writer over a powerful figure like Strauss-Kahn. Asked if she had concerns about repercussions for bringing the complaint now, Banon told L'Express she feared reprisals because she was a thorn in the side of the former IMF chief On Tuesday, her attorney told CNN that the alleged attack had taken place with "extreme violence." The new legal fireworks came after questions arose about the truthfulness of a housekeeper who alleged that Strauss-Kahn, 62, attacked her in his New York hotel suite in May. Banon said the decision to file the complaint had been taken with her lawyer in mid-June and had not been affected by the sudden crumbling of the case against Strauss-Kahn in New York, according to her interview with L'Express. One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers in New York, Benjamin Brafman, on Monday declined to comment on the allegations in France. Banon's mother, Socialist politician Anne Mansouret, said shortly after the housekeeper's accusations were splashed across front pages around the world that her daughter had been attacked by Strauss-Kahn in 2003 but that she had discouraged her at the time from filing charges against him. Mansouret, a member of parliament, said she cautioned Banon not to file a police report at the time for fear it would hurt her journalism career. On Tuesday, she said she had not realized before how much her daughter was affected by the alleged incident. "At the time, I never thought that it had traumatized her to such a point," she told CNN affiliate network BFM. Banon "expects to be destroyed" after filing the complaint against Strauss-Kahn, her mother added. But she must "find the combative instinct that is needed to withstand the shock and say to herself, 'OK, I must do this and I will carry it out,'" Mansouret said. Strauss-Kahn was never charged in connection with the alleged attack on Banon. But in light of the charges against Strauss-Kahn after the alleged incident at a Sofitel hotel in New York, Koubbi said a few weeks ago that he and Banon had considered filing a complaint. Koubbi said the cases were not connected. "I don't see any reason why these two cases should be joined, because either the prosecutor has enough elements to condemn Dominique Strauss-Kahn in the United States -- and if he does, he should do it -- or he needs to bring two cases together to get a conviction," he said in June. "In that case, we do not want to participate," he added. Strauss-Kahn's attorney in France, Leon Lef Forster, did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations in May. Mansouret recently pulled out of the Socialist Party presidential primaries. Strauss-Kahn had been a front-runner for the party nomination until the New York arrest, and suggestions that the case was floundering have revived talk of his chances in next year's presidential elections. Mansouret described herself last week as "the woman who embarrasses the Socialist Party." "I am ... a sort of collateral damage in the DSK affair. I knew for a long time that my political career was sealed with this bomb, but I didn't imagine that this bitter past could be revived so violently," she wrote Friday on the Rue89 website, referring to the alleged attack in New York. In May, Mansouret said that in 2003, her journalist daughter had interviewed Strauss-Kahn in his office in the National Assembly. However, after the interview, Banon received a text message from Strauss-Kahn, saying he was not happy with the interview and asking if he could speak with her again, Mansouret said. After Banon arrived at the address Strauss-Kahn had sent her, he locked the door to the room they were in, took her hand and grabbed her arm, according to Mansouret. Banon told him to let her go, and the incident ended with the two struggling on the floor, Mansouret said. Banon managed to escape the apartment and locked herself in her car, where she called her mother. Mansouret said she arrived about an hour and a half later to find her daughter still locked in the car and looking "roughed up." The heel of one shoe was broken, Mansouret recalled. But Mansouret told her daughter not to file a complaint out of concern that she would become known as Strauss-Kahn's victim. CNN does not typically identify sexual assault victims, but Mansouret said her daughter gave permission for her name to be disclosed. In New York, the prosecution's case against Strauss-Kahn has been shaken in recent days after sources revealed that the housekeeper at the Sofitel hotel had been less than truthful with investigators. Within two days after the alleged attack occurred, she spoke by phone with a boyfriend in an Arizona jail in a recorded conversation. A source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that the housekeeper said "she's fine and this person is rich and there's money to be made," as originally reported by The New York Times. The 32-year-old immigrant has admitted to prosecutors that she lied about her whereabouts following the alleged attack, the details of an asylum application and information she put on tax forms, according to documents filed in court Friday by prosecutors. Prosecutors said Friday that the woman also admitted to lying about being a victim of a gang rape. In angry remarks delivered outside the courthouse, the woman's attorney, Kenneth Thompson, acknowledged problems with his client's credibility. But the bottom line, he said, is that she was attacked. "That was true the day it happened, and it is true today," Thompson said. "She has described that sexual assault many times to the prosecutors and to me. And she has never once changed a single thing about that account." On Tuesday, the attorney for the alleged victim's announced that she had filed a libel lawsuit against the New York Post and five of its reporters, after the newspaper reported that the woman was a prostitute. The woman has accused the newspaper of publishing articles with false and defamatory information in the effort to bolster sales. A spokeswoman for the New York Post, Suzi Halpin, responded to the lawsuit Tuesday, saying "we stand by our reporting." Meanwhile, the indictment and charges against Strauss-Kahn -- including criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse -- still stand. And though he is now free to travel in the United States, a judge said authorities have continued to withhold the French financier's passport. After the charges were filed against him in New York, Strauss-Kahn resigned as director of the International Monetary Fund. CNN's Jim Bittermann, Susan Candiotti, Saskya Vandoorne and Dheepthi Namasivayam contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| A television reporter holds a copy of the New York Post outside Manhattan Criminal Court, May 16, 2011. PARIS/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was hit with a complaint of attempted rape in France on Tuesday in a new hurdle to any political comeback even as the U.S. sex assault case against him appeared to be falling apart. New York prosecutors were re-examining their case against the potential French presidential candidate after discovering the accuser, a 32-year-old immigrant from Guinea, had lied repeatedly about her background, undermining her credibility as a witness. Strauss-Kahn, 62, had been enjoying his fourth day of release from house arrest in New York when French writer Tristane Banon filed a legal complaint in Paris alleging he had tried to rape her in 2003, when she was 22. Banon, an author and journalist, gave a graphic account in a 2007 TV talk show of her allegation that Strauss-Kahn tried to rape her during an interview in a Paris apartment. Tuesday was the first time she has taken legal action. Her complaint will be examined by a judge who, as a matter of course, would question both Banon and Strauss-Kahn, sending investigators to the United States if necessary, before deciding to either place the Frenchman under investigation or dismiss the case. In New York, charges of sexual assault and attempted rape remained in place against Strauss-Kahn, although he has vehemently denied the allegations and prosecutors acknowledge it would be difficult to make a case against him given the series of lies and contradictions in the accuser's statements. The New York Post cited an unnamed senior investigator as saying prosecutors would drop their charges at a court hearing in two weeks, or even earlier, due to doubts about the credibility of the accuser. "We all know this case is not sustainable," the Post quoted its source as saying on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the district attorney's office in New York would not confirm that prosecutors plan to drop the charges, saying they were still investigating the case. NEW TWIST In yet another twist to a saga that has captivated much of the world, the accuser sued the New York Post and five of its journalists on Tuesday for reporting she was a prostitute. She filed suit in a court in the Bronx, accusing the Post of publishing false and defamatory articles between July 2-4. The Post reported that the Sofitel housekeeper was a "hooker" who "routinely traded sex for money with male guests" and that after the purported May 14 assault, while under the protection of the District Attorney's office, she "was turning tricks on the taxpayer's dime," the lawsuit said. The Post said, "We stand by our reporting." In Paris, signs that the U.S. charges are unraveling have set off a round of political sparring that threatens to poison the run-up to an April 2012 presidential election that Strauss-Kahn had been tipped to win for the left. French left-wingers, furious that their star candidate has been all but knocked out of the election race, dismissed the Banon complaint as more evidence that Strauss-Kahn's foes were determined to bring him down. "Strauss-Kahn's destiny has been snatched from him. All his friends are asking how it is possible that a man who is director of the IMF and a presidential candidate finds himself in prison a few days before he submits his candidacy," said Socialist deputy Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, a close ally of Strauss-Kahn. "This is clearly a conspiracy against the Socialist Party," he told LCI television. Strauss-Kahn plans to bring a counterclaim against Banon, his lawyer said. The Banon case may fizzle after a preliminary inquiry unless the judge deems there is tangible evidence of an attempted rape. Given the years that have lapsed since the alleged incident, there could be little aside witnesses' conflicting statements to hold up a court case. Unlike the United States, where rules of evidence govern admissibility, the French judge has latitude to look at any facts deemed relevant, including the credibility of the accuser, said Julie Suk, a professor at Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. If the judge believes in his "inner conscience" that a crime took place, the case will go to a trial judge, Suk said. In a U.S. criminal trial, prosecutors must show beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime has been committed. No comparable standard exists in France, Suk said. Regardless of the outcome, opinion polls since the weekend suggest that more than half of French voters think Strauss-Kahn's political career is already over. Strauss-Kahn's abrupt reversals of fortune have angered many French, who viewed his parading before cameras, unshaven and handcuffed in New York as a gross violation of his rights. The "perp walk" -- "perp" being short for perpetrator -- is common in the United States, despite complaints from defense lawyers and civil libertarians. "I've always thought that perp walks were outrageous. We vilify them for the benefit of the theater and circus. They did it in Roman times, too," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a news conference on Tuesday. Two days after the May 15 "perp walk" Bloomberg had said, "I think it is humiliating, but if you don't want to do the perp walk, don't do the crime." (Additional reporting by Anthony Boadle in Washington and Dominique Bareto in Fort-de-France; Writing by Catherine Bremer and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Louise Ireland and Sandra Maler)	– The Dominique Strauss-Kahn case in New York City may disappear soon, but the DSK headlines keep coming. The maid who accused him of rape is suing the New York Post for reporting that she was a prostitute, notes Reuters. The stories were "an apparent desperate attempt to bolster its rapidly plunging sales," say her lawyers. The Post alleged that the woman worked as a prostitute at the Sofitel Hotel and was continuing to work as a prostitute even while stashed away in a Brooklyn hotel by prosecutors. "All of these statements are false, have subjected the plaintiff to humiliation, scorn, and ridicule throughout the world by falsely portraying her as a prostitute or as a woman who trades her body for money and they constitute defamation and libel per se," says the suit. In France, meanwhile, author Tristane Banon filed her suit against DSK today alleging that he attempted to rape her during an interview, reports CNN. He is suing her for slander in return.
The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in biblical archaeology, that I’ve mentioned previously (registration is open – go here), is about to start! The first lesson will go online next week, on Wednesday, December 5th, 2018. Following that, each week (save for a two week break at the end of December for the holidays), a new lesson will go online – a total of 8 lessons. Yesterday, as part of the final work on the various lessons, we filmed at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot (WIS). There, we interviewed Prof. Stephen (Steve) Weiner and Prof. Elisabetta (Lisa) Boaretto, leading figures in the application of the exact sciences in archaeology. As part of the course is not only to teach about Biblical Archaeology, but to give a general background on archaeology in general, and how it is practices – from field to lab – an important aspect is the inter- and multi-disciplinary research that is conducted in archaeology. So, no better place than to do this at WIS, and to discussion with Steve and Lisa about various scientific applications in archaeology. More so, the stressed the integration of the two into what they call “Microarchaeology“. As you can see in the pictures below, and as will appear on the MOOC, I interviewed Steve and Lisa in their labs, on such issues as the use of the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) in archaeology, and how, with a step-by-step demonstration (and I even participated in this, not that proficiently, as you can see in the photos), Carbon 14 dating is conducted in the WIS facilities. So don’t wait – sign up for the MOOC – it’s going to be very interesting! See here some great pictures from this day: \|\|\|\|\| The Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath, headed by Prof. Aren Maeir, has discovered the fortifications and entrance gate of the biblical city of Gath of the Philistines, home of Goliath and the largest city in the land during the 10th-9th century BCE, about the time of the "United Kingdom" of Israel and King Ahab of Israel. The excavations are being conducted in the Tel Zafit National Park, located in the Judean Foothills, about halfway between Jerusalem and Ashkelon in central Israel. Prof. Maeir, of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, said that the city gate is among the largest ever found in Israel and is evidence of the status and influence of the city of Gath during this period. In addition to the monumental gate, an impressive fortification wall was discovered, as well as various building in its vicinity, such as a temple and an iron production facility. These features, and the city itself were destroyed by Hazael King of Aram Damascus, who besieged and destroyed the site at around 830 BCE. The city gate of Philistine Gath is referred to in the Bible (in I Samuel 21) in the story of David's escape from King Saul to Achish, King of Gath. Now in its 20th year, the Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath, is a long-term investigation aimed at studying the archaeology and history of one of the most important sites in Israel. Tell es-Safi/Gath is one of the largest tells (ancient ruin mounds) in Israel and was settled almost continuously from the 5th millennium BCE until modern times. The archaeological dig is led by Prof. Maeir, along with groups from the University of Melbourne, University of Manitoba, Brigham Young University, Yeshiva University, University of Kansas, Grand Valley State University of Michigan, several Korean universities and additional institutions throughout the world. Among the most significant findings to date at the site: Philistine Temples dating to the 11th through 9th century BCE, evidence of an earthquake in the 8th century BCE possibly connected to the earthquake mentioned in the Book of Amos I:1, the earliest decipherable Philistine inscription ever to be discovered, which contains two names similar to the name Goliath; a large assortment of objects of various types linked to Philistine culture; remains relating to the earliest siege system in the world, constructed by Hazael, King of Aram Damascus around 830 BCE, along with extensive evidence of the subsequent capture and destruction of the city by Hazael, as mentioned in Second Kings 12:18; evidence of the first Philistine settlement in Canaan (around 1200 BCE); different levels of the earlier Canaanite city of Gath; and remains of the Crusader castle "Blanche Garde" at which Richard the Lion-Hearted is known to have been. ### \|\|\|\|\| a view of the remains of the Iron Age city wall of Philistine Gath. Prof. Aren Maeir, Director, Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath Archaeological find sheds light on weakness of Judean kingdom of the 10th and ninth centuries BCE Israeli archaeologists at Bar-Ilan University have uncovered structures and an entrance gate to the Philistine city of Gath, once home to the giant biblical Goliath, the university announced on Monday. The gate of Gath is referred to in the Bible (in I Samuel 21) in the story of David's escape from King Saul to Achish, the King of Gath. The ancient city of Gath, located in the Tel Zafit national park in the Judean foothills, was once a large city in the Philistines in the 10th century BCE. It was later destroyed in 830 BCE by Hazael, the king of Aram Damascus. Professor Aren Maeir, an archaeologist at Bar-Ilan University who headed the excavations, said the ancient gate is one of the largest ever discovered in Israel and evidence of the Philistine city's power in the 10th and ninth centuries BCE. The team also found an "impressive fortification wall" in addition to a number of buildings, including a temple and an iron production facility. Tell es-Safi/Gath is one of the largest tells (ancient ruin mounds) in Israel and was settled almost continuously from the 5th millennium BCE until modern times. According to Maeir, the discovery of Gath as a huge, fortified city on the border of Judea during an extended period, without any signs of destruction, proves the Philistines controlled the Judean plain and it is likely the remnant of a failure of the Israelite kingdom to spread westward, and not a sign of its power. “The Judean kingdom is supposed to be big, important and strong,” said Maeir. “But it turns out there is a very big city on its western border. For years, I claimed Gath was a big city, but they countered that it has no lower city, and if it has one it is not fortified. After finding a huge fortification, it’s clearly the most important city of the 10th and ninth centuries." Bar-Ilan University has been conducting extensive investigations at the site for the past 20 years, and had previously discovered Philistine temples dating back to the 11th century BCE and what is believed to be the earliest Philistine inscription, and remains of the Crusader castle "Blanche Garde" at which Richard the Lion-Hearted is known to have fought. \|\|\|\|\| Archeologists at Bar-Ilan University, headed by Professor Aren Maeir, have discovered the fortifications and entrance gate to the biblical city of Gath in the Philistines, which was once the home of the giant Goliath. The excavations of the ancient city of Gath, which was once the largest city in the land during the 10-19th century, are being conducted in the Tel Zafit national park, located in the Judean foothills between Jerusalem and Ashkelon. The ancient city was destroyed in 830 BCE by Hazael, the king of Damascus. Professor Maeir said that the gate is among the largest ever found in Israel and provides substantial evidence that Gath was once one of the most influential cities in the region.In addition to the gate, an impressive fortification wall was discovered as well as various buildings which serviced the city, including a temple and an iron production facility.	– An archaeological dig now in its 20th year has uncovered the entrance gate to Gath, the ancient Biblical city of the Philistines and onetime home of the giant Goliath. Before the king of Damascus destroyed it in 830 BCE, Gath was the largest city in the land for hundreds of years, reports the Jerusalem Post. The Bible refers to the massive city gate itself, in the story of David's escape from King Saul to the king of Gath. In addition to the city gate, scientists have also unearthed an "impressive fortification wall," several buildings that include a temple and iron production facility, and what the Post calls the earliest "decipherable" Philistine inscription ever found—which contains two names similar to "Goliath." "After finding a huge fortification, it’s clearly the most important city of the 10th and ninth centuries," says the archaeologist in charge of the dig, per i24. The long-term dig is part of the Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath, a look at the archaeology and history of one of the largest "tells" (aka ancient ruin mounds) in Israel. The area in central Israel, in the Tel Zafit National Park in the Judean Foothills, has been inhabited almost continuously since the 5th millennium BCE, the researchers note in a press release. (Also recently discovered in Israel? A mask unlike any other.)
An Egyptian vendor stands in front of a closed currency exchange office in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. A sense of normalcy began to return to the capital of some 18 million people, which has been... (Associated Press) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday the Obama administration supports the transition to a new government now moving forward in Egypt, but she says it must be up to the Egyptian people to decide if the reforms go far enough. With mass protests now in their 13th day, Clinton said the U.S. is encouraging talks between opposition leaders and Vice President Omar Suleiman aimed at ending the country's political crisis. But she withheld judgment on the decision by the Muslim Brotherhood to enter into discussions with the embattled government. The fundamentalist group said it would insist that President Hosni Mubarak, an authoritarian leader who's been in power for nearly three decades, step aside immediately. In an interview with National Public Radio, Clinton said the U.S. has been clear about what it expects as Egypt moves toward a new government. "The Egyptian people are looking for an orderly transition that can lead to free and fair elections," she said. "That's what the United States has consistently supported. We are putting a lot into making sure the dialogue process that has begun is meaningful and transparent and leads to concrete actions." The people of Egypt and the leaders of the various opposition groups will "ultimately determine if it is or is not meeting their needs," she said. The transition should be as inclusive and transparent as possible, Clinton said. While remaining noncommittal about the Brotherhood's entry into the talks, she said "at least they are now involved in the dialogue." "We are going to wait and see how this develops," she said. Her comment suggests the administration would be willing to work with a government that includes the Brotherhood, but only if certain conditions were met. The group has been outlawed since 1954, and the talks would be the first known discussions between the government and the Brotherhood in years. Clinton, in the interview, addressed the anti-government protests that began in Tunisia and then spread to Egypt and other Arab nations. "Some leaders listen better than other leaders, but all leaders have to recognize now that the failure to reform, the failure to open up their economies and political systems, is just not an option any longer," she said. Clinton said the "forces that are at work, particularly because of the advances in communications technology, are not reversible." The U.S. understands that and wants to "play a constructive role in helping countries move in the direction of more openness and more democracy and participation and market access, the things that we stand for," she said. Clinton also acknowledged that over the years the U.S. has had close relations with autocratic regimes that are not popular with their people and run counter to American ideas and ideals. "There is no easy answer to how we pursue what's in America's interests because ultimately my job, the president's job, is to protect the security, the interests of the United States," she said. "Do we do business with, do we have relations with, do we support governments over the past 50 years that we do not always see eye to eye with? Of course. That's the world in which we live, but our messages are consistent," she said. \|\|\|\|\| CAIRO — Leaders of the Egyptian democracy movement vowed Sunday to escalate their pressure for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak , even as his government portrayed itself as already in the midst of American-approved negotiations to end the uprising, now in its 13th day. The government announced that the transition had begun with a meeting between Vice President Omar Suleiman and two representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood, the outlawed Islamist group the Egyptian government has sought to repress for many years as a threat to stability. They met as part of a group of about 50 prominent Egyptians and opposition figures, including officials of the small, recognized opposition parties, as well as a handful of young people who helped start the protest movement. While both sides acknowledged the meeting as unprecedented, its significance quickly became another skirmish in the battle between the president and the protesters. Mr. Suleiman released a statement — widely reported on state television and instantly a focal point in Washington — declaring that the meeting had produced a “consensus” about a path to reform, including the promise to form a committee to recommend constitutional changes by early March. The other elements echoed pledges Mr. Mubarak had already made, including a limit on how many terms a president can serve. Leaders of the protest movement, including both its youthful members and Brotherhood officials, denounced Mr. Suleiman’s portrayal of the meeting as a political ploy intended to suggest that some in their ranks were collaborating. Though the movement has only a loose leadership, it has coalesced around a unified set of demands, centered on Mr. Mubarak’s resignation, but also including the dissolution of one-party rule and revamping the Constitution that protected it, and Mr. Suleiman gave no ground on any of those demands. “We did not come out with results,” said Mohamed Morsy, a Brotherhood leader who attended, while others explained that the Brotherhood had attended only to reiterate its demands and show openness to dialogue. The standoff over the meeting underscored the conflicting narratives about the next chapter of the revolt that has shaken Egypt and the wider Arab world. Each side claimed that it had emerged from the last 12 days as a survivor — unarmed protesters repulsed assaults first by police officers in riot gear and then by pro-Mubarak gangs in plain clothes, but Mr. Mubarak still emerged from a week of demonstrations that brought hundreds of thousands into the streets with his position and his Western support still intact. And while the government hailed what it called a return to normalcy, the protesters vowed that there was no turning back. To rebut Mr. Suleiman’s claims of consensus, a group of young organizers whose Facebook page fomented the revolt — a half-dozen scruffy-looking doctors, lawyers and other professionals in their early 30s — stepped forward publicly for the first time. At least three had been released just the night before from three days of extra-legal detention at the hands of Mr. Mubarak’s police, and they vowed to escalate their movement. “The government played all the dirty games that they had, and the people persisted,” said Shady el-Ghazaly Harb, a 32-year-old surgeon. “We are betting on the people.” More than 100,000 turned out again on Sunday in the capital’s central Tahrir Square — more than expected as the work week resumed here. And some of the movement’s young organizers, who were busy meeting to organize their many small groups into a unified structure, said they were considering more large-scale demonstrations in other cities, strikes or acts of civil disobedience like surrounding the state television headquarters. Zyad Elelaiwy, 32, a lawyer who is one of the online organizers and a member of the umbrella opposition group founded by Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel laureate, acknowledged a generational divide in the movement. Some older leaders — especially from the recognized parties — were tempted to negotiate with Mr. Suleiman, he said, but the young organizers determined to hold out for sweeping change. “They are more close to negotiating, but they don’t have access to the street,” Mr. Elelaiwy said. “The people know us. They don’t know them.” Mr. ElBaradei and the Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest opposition group, have committed to follow the lead of the young organizers, he said. Many of the protesters who gathered in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protests, vented anger at reports that the United States was supporting the idea of a negotiated transition undertaken by Mr. Suleiman while Mr. Mubarak remained in power. “The extremists aren’t here in Egypt, but they will be if the United States persists!” said Noha El Sharakawy, a 52-year-old pharmacist with dual citizenship in both countries.	– It's officially outlawed, but the Muslim Brotherhood is taking a seat at the table to resolve Egypt's crisis. The controversial group met today with Vice President Omar Suleiman, along with supporters of Mohamed ElBaradei and leftist supporters, reports the New York Times. “The brothers decided to enter a round of dialogue to determine how serious the officials are (about) achieving the demands of the people,” says a spokesman. The Brotherhood is steadfast on one point: Hosni Mubarak must go. “He can leave in any way the regime would accept him to leave, but it has to be that he is out,” says the spokesman. Hillary Clinton reserved judgment on the development, reports the AP: "At least they are now involved in the dialogue," she said. "We are going to wait and see how this develops."
CONCORD, N.H.—It was not the news that South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham went on TV to make. Meet the Press host Chuck Todd, who like the rest of Washington was exploring every angle of the Hillary Clinton e-mail kerfuffle, asked Graham if he had a private e-mail address. "I don't e-mail," said Graham. "No, you can have every e-mail I've ever sent. I've never sent one." That went viral, funny enough, on the weekend of Graham's first trip to New Hampshire as a potential presidential candidate. After a marathon town-hall meeting in Concord's Snow Shoe Lodge, the Republican held a gaggle with reporters, and Fox News lobbed a question about the e-mail. Graham repeated himself: He did not use e-mail. He preferred to talk on the phone. "The next president of the United States needs to be good with people, not just technology," he said. http://youtu.be/RoNHHaL2Phs After that exchange, Graham responded to a question about Clinton with a joke: "If she could do it again, she'd do the Lindsey Graham thing, and not use e-mail." As he headed to his car, I asked Graham to explain his communication methods, a subject that truly baffled a press corps that walks around with smartphones welded to hands. "What I do, basically, is that I've got iPads, and I play around," Graham explained. "But I don't e-mail. I've tried not to have a system where I can just say the first dumb thing that comes to my mind. I've always been concerned. I can get texts, and I call you back, if I want. I get a text, and I respond not by sending you a text, but calling you if I think what you asked is worthy enough for me calling you. I'm not being arrogant, but I'm trying to jealously guard myself in terms of being able to think through problems and not engage in chat all day. I've had a chance to kind of carve out some time for myself not responding to every 15-second crisis." \|\|\|\|\| University of WisconsinArchive-It Partner Since: Aug, 2007Organization Type: Colleges & UniversitiesOrganization URL: http://archives.library.wisc.edu This collection currently includes two distinct sub-collections: The UW-Madison Collection and The Stem Cell Research Archives Project.The UW-Madison Collection includes University of Wisconsin Web sites that document many aspects of campus life including university administration, colleges, departments, and major campus organizations, student life, research, buildings, and special and ongoing events. We also crawl UW System and Colleges administration and UW Extension Web sites.The Stem Cell Research Archives Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries collects, preserves, and provides access to records of stem cell research at UW-Madison and reactions in Wisconsin to work accomplished or underway at UW-Madison.For more information about these collections or UW campus history, visit http://archives.library.wisc.edu or contact uwarchiv@library.wisc.edu. On Wisconsin! \|\|\|\|\| How does he find out that there’s been a last-minute change to his scheduled meeting? How does he know whether his Amazon.com order has been dispatched? What does he do when he forgets the password for his Spotify account? These questions plagued me upon hearing that South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has never sent an email. Graham, who was a U.S. congressman for eight years before becoming a senator 12 years ago, laughed about his email habits before adding, “I don’t know what that makes me.” More Politics We know: It makes Graham part of the 9 percent of American adults who say they have never sent or received an email in their lives. That number comes from a report published by the Pew Research Center in April 2012 that used survey data to analyze the way American adults use the Internet. It’s not just Graham’s public role that makes his avoidance of email surprising, it’s also his demographic characteristics. Only 3 percent of college-educated respondents said they had never used email (Graham graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1977, the same year the U.S. Postal Service recognized electronic messaging as a threat to its revenue). Graham’s annual salary of $174,000 also makes his non-emailing unusual, since more affluent groups are more likely to have used email: 85 percent of respondents whose household income was less than than $30,000 per year said they had used email compared to 97 percent of those earning $75,000 or more. Being white also increases the probability that an American will have used email at some point in his or her life. In fact, the only thing that makes Graham’s communication habits less surprising is the fact that he’s approaching 60 years of age. Older Americans are less likely to say they have used email. But still, 90 percent of adults in Graham’s age group have sent or received at least one message, and even among those age 65 and over, that number is 86 percent. Pew also asked why people emailed or didn’t. About a third of all respondents who didn’t use the Internet or email said it was because they were just not interested, and another 12 percent said it was because they don’t have a computer. Other responses included “it’s a waste of time” (7 percent of respondents), “too old to learn” (4 percent) and “worried about viruses/spyware/spam” (only 1 percent). It’s not yet clear why the senator has chosen to abstain from email. Maybe Graham just really, really cares about the U.S. Postal Service — after all, he did sponsor a bill in 2003 to rename a branch in his home state the Floyd Spence Post Office Building. I assume he received the good news that the bill passed via a stamped letter. \|\|\|\|\| 15% of American adults do not use the internet at all, and another 9% of adults use the internet but not at home. As of May 2013, 15% of American adults ages 18 and older do not use the internet or email. Asked why they do not use the internet: 34% of non-internet users think the internet is just not relevant to them , saying they are not interested, do not want to use it, or have no need for it. , saying they are not interested, do not want to use it, or have no need for it. 32% of non-internet users cite reasons tied to their sense that the internet is not very easy to use . These non-users say it is difficult or frustrating to go online, they are physically unable, or they are worried about other issues such as spam, spyware, and hackers. This figure is considerably higher than in earlier surveys. . These non-users say it is difficult or frustrating to go online, they are physically unable, or they are worried about other issues such as spam, spyware, and hackers. This figure is considerably higher than in earlier surveys. 19% of non-internet users cite the expense of owning a computer or paying for an internet connection . . 7% of non-users cited a physical lack of availability or access to the internet. As in previous surveys by the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, internet use remains strongly correlated with age, educational attainment, and household income. One of the strongest patterns in the data on internet use is by age group: 44% of Americans ages 65 and older do not use the internet, and these older Americans make up almost half (49%) of non-internet users overall. Though they themselves do not go online, these self-described non-internet users often report that the internet touches their lives: 44% of offline adults have asked a friend or family member to look something up or complete a task on the internet for them . . 23% of offline adults live in a household where someone else uses the internet at home, a proportion that has remained relatively steady for over a decade. at home, a proportion that has remained relatively steady for over a decade. 14% of offline adults say that they once used to use the internet, but have since stopped for some reason. Overall, most adults who do not use the internet or email do not express a strong desire to go online in the future: just 8% of offline adults say they would like to start using the internet or email, while 92% say they are not interested. We also offline adults whether they would need assistance going online if they did wish to do so, and found that only 17% of all non-internet users say they would be able to start using the internet on their own, while 63% say they would need assistance. Even among the 85% of adults who do go online, experiences connecting to the internet may vary widely. For instance, while 76% of adults use the internet at home, 9% of adults use the internet but lack home access. Groups that are significantly more likely to rely on internet access outside the home include blacks and Hispanics, as well as adults at lower levels of income and education. Finally, while most home internet users have broadband in some form, 3% of all adults go online at home via dial-up connections. About this survey The findings in this report are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International from April 17 to May 19, 2013, among a sample of 2,252 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews were conducted in English and Spanish by landline and cell phone. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. More information is available in the Methods section at the end of this report.	– Lindsey Graham, take heart: Up to 15% of Americans don't use email either and may not go online at all. The South Carolina Republican revealed yesterday during a conversation about Hillary Clinton's emails that he had never sent an email before. "I don't know what that makes me," he said on Meet the Press. Well, drawing on a Pew Research Center report from 2012, Five Thirty-Eight says that 9% of American adults haven't sent an email either. And a Pew report from last year says 15% of American adults don't go online for email, surfing, pinging, posting, or whatever. What's really unusual about Graham's email stance is the fact that he doesn't fit into the non-email group's demographic. Per the 2012 report, just 3% of Americans with a college education say they haven't clicked "send" before—while Graham left the University of South Carolina in 1977 with a bona fide degree. And his $174,000 salary makes him more affluent than most non-email users; 97% of Americans making at least $75,000 say they've used email compared to 85% of people banking under $30,000. Whites are also more likely to have sent an electronic message. Only Graham's age (he's 59) makes him a closer demographic fit, but even then, 90% of adults in his age range say they've sent email before. So why doesn't he? "I've tried not to have a system where I can just say the first dumb thing that comes to my mind," he tells Bloomberg.
Invalid Meeteng Identifier. Please close all your browser windows and re-open again. \|\|\|\|\| Home > Families > FAQs FAQs How long should I breastfeed my baby? When should I start feeding my baby solid foods? How do I prepare for breastfeeding? How can I find a breastfeeding friendly medical practice? Who should I call if need breastfeeding help? Should I join a breastfeeding support group? How can they help me? How often should I nurse in the first few weeks? What if my baby is premature or ill? How should I store expressed breast milk? How do I freeze my milk? How much milk should I store at a time? How do I thaw milk and serve it (or have it served) to my baby? What should I do about breastfeeding my baby if my family is involved in a disaster? How long should I breastfeed my baby? The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. This means your baby needs no additional foods (except Vitamin D) or fluids unless medically indicated. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. Breastfeeding should be supported by your physician for as long as it is the right choice for you and your baby. When should I start feeding my baby solid foods? Solid foods need to be introduced to ensure that your baby gets proper nutrition around 6 months of age. Ask your doctor about when to introduce solid foods and how to do it. How do I prepare for breastfeeding? Learn as much as you can about breastfeeding before your baby is born. Read books and other information about breastfeeding and consider taking a breastfeeding class at your doctor's office, hospital, or WIC (if you are eligible). Involve your partner in learning about breastfeeding. Your partner's support will be beneficial to your breastfeeding success. Tell other family members and friends about your plans to breastfeed and gain their support. Prepare for Breastfeeding Success – Make Sure You and Your Health Care Professional Have All of the Facts! is a handy tip sheet that will help you discuss breastfeeding with your health care provider. Bring this with you to your next appointment. is a handy tip sheet that will help you discuss breastfeeding with your health care provider. Bring this with you to your next appointment. If you plan to return to work or school while breastfeeding and cannot go to the baby or have the baby brought to you to breastfeed, be sure to talk to your baby's caregiver about providing your breast milk while you are away. Make sure the caregiver is comfortable and willing to provide breast milk and knows the proper storage recommendations. How can I find a breastfeeding friendly medical practice? It is recommended that expectant parents begin interviewing pediatricians for their baby while they are pregnant. Bring this list of questions (and hints about the responses you should look to receive) to help you interview pediatricians. Who should I call if need breastfeeding help? If you are concerned about how breastfeeding is going, don't wait. Call someone for help. Start with your pediatrician's office. Your pediatrician should be able to assess how breastfeeding is going and offer you support. For some cases, you may be referred to a lactation consultant. Should I join a breastfeeding support group? How can they help me? Seek out breastfeeding support groups in your area before your baby is born and consider attending one while pregnant and becoming familiar with the leaders. Talking with other women about their breastfeeding experiences may be helpful and give you a circle of friends to call for help after the baby is born. How often should I nurse in the first few weeks? If you and your baby are healthy after birth, it is best to breastfeed within the first hour after delivery. While in the hospital, keep the baby with you in your room so you can learn his hunger cues and respond promptly. Some newborns feed as often as every 1.5 hours, while others feed about every 3 hours. Breastfed newborns will feed 8-12 or more times per 24 hours (once your milk has come in). If your baby isn't waking on his own during the first few weeks, wake him if 3-4 hours have passed since the last feeding. Talk to your pediatrician if your baby continues to have a hard time waking to eat. What if my baby is premature or ill? Many premature and seriously ill babies can eventually breastfeed. Human milk has been shown to be very beneficial to premature and sick newborns by helping growth and preventing disease. If you have a sick or premature baby, begin expressing colostrum by hand or pump as soon as possible in the hospital. If you are discharged home and the baby stays in the hospital, talk to your doctor about expressing your milk at home and having it be fed to your infant by a feeding tube in the hospital. You will need to express your milk as often as your baby would have breastfed (approximately 8 times per 24 hour period). A double-electric breast pump (usually provided by the hospital) is most effective. As your baby gets healthy, ask your doctor for assistance in establishing direct breastfeeding. The hospital may have lactation consultants to help you do this. Be aware that this may happen quickly or take some time to establish. How should I store expressed breast milk? Wash your hands before expressing or handling your milk. Use only clean containers to store expressed milk. Use collection containers specific for the purpose of storing human milk. Don't use ordinary plastic bags or formula bottle bags for storing milk. Freshly expressed milk can remain at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Use refrigerated milk within 48 hours. How do I freeze my milk? Freeze milk if you will not be using it within 24 hours. Frozen milk is good for at least 3 months (some experts suggest 3-6 months if kept in a 0 degrees F freezer). Store milk at the back of the freezer — never in the freezer door. Make sure to label the milk with the date you froze it and possibly your child's name if you are bringing it to an out-of-home child care facility. Talk with your child care provider about how they require breast milk be stored and labeled. How much milk should I store at a time? Freeze 2-4 ounces of milk at a time, depending on the average amount of a single feeding for your baby. You may also want to freeze some small amounts for certain situations. How do I thaw milk and serve it (or have it served) to my baby? Thaw milk in the refrigerator or you can thaw it by swirling in a bowl of warm water (do not shake!). Heating milk in microwave ovens or bottle warmers is not safe. Excess heat can destroy the important proteins and vitamins in the milk. If you will heat the milk in the storage container you might wish to avoid rigid plastic bottles with recycling # 7 in the triangle to avoid exposure to BPA, a potential hormone disrupter. For more information, visit the BPA Web site. Thawed milk must be used within 24 hours. Don't refreeze your milk. What should I do about breastfeeding my baby if my family is involved in a disaster? Breastfeeding is disaster preparedness. If you are breastfeeding you will not need to worry about feeding your baby formula that may not be available. Mothers can breastfeed under difficult circumstances with the proper support. View the Infant Feeding During a Disaster: Breastfeeding and Other Options fact sheet for more information. The recommendations in this publication do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate. This content is for informational purpose only. \|\|\|\|\| Families can visit CDC’s Infant and Toddler Nutrition website to learn more about what to expect while breastfeeding. When Should a Mother Avoid Breastfeeding (contraindications)? Human milk provides the best nutrition for most infants, including premature and sick newborns. However, there are rare exceptions when human milk or breastfeeding is not recommended. Learn more about contraindications to breastfeeding. Few medications are contraindicated (not recommended) while breastfeeding. Although many medications do pass into breast milk, most have little or no effect on milk supply or on infant well-being. However, health care providers should always weigh the risks and benefits when prescribing medications to breastfeeding mothers. Learn more about safe prescription medication use while breastfeeding. How is Growth Assessed for Breastfed Infants? In the United States, the World Health Organization (WHO) growth standard charts are recommended for use with both breastfed and formula-fed infants and children, from birth to 2 years of age, to monitor growth. The WHO growth charts reflect growth patterns among children who were predominantly breastfed for at least 4 months and were still breastfeeding at 12 months. The WHO growth charts establish the growth of the breastfed infant as the norm for growth and are the standards for how children should grow when provided optimal conditions. Clinicians should be aware that healthy breastfed infants typically gain weight faster than formula-fed infants in the first few months of life but then gain weight more slowly for the remainder of infancy, even after complementary foods are introduced. For children older than 2 years (2 to 19 years of age) CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that health care providers use the CDC growth reference charts. Visit the Growth Chart training website for a set of self-directed, interactive training courses. Source: Grummer-Strawn LM, Reinold C, Krebs NF; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of the World Health Organization and CDC growth charts for children aged 0 to 59 months in the United States. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2010;59(RR-9);1-15. How Long Should a Mother Breastfeed? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months with continued breastfeeding along with introducing appropriate complementary foods for 1 year or longer. WHO also recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to 2 years of age or longer. Mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed their children for at least 1 year. The longer an infant is breastfed, the greater the protection from certain illnesses and long-term diseases. The more months or years a woman breastfeeds (combined breastfeeding of all her children), the greater the benefits to her health as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children be introduced to foods other than breast milk or infant formula when they are about 6 months old. To learn more about infant and toddler feeding, visit CDC’s Infant and Toddler Nutrition website. What Can Happen if Someone Else’s Breast Milk is Given to Another Child? Very few illnesses are transmitted via breast milk. Learn more about what to do if an infant or child is mistakenly fed another woman’s expressed breast milk. Are Special Precautions Needed for Handling Breast Milk? CDC does not list human breast milk as a body fluid to which universal precautions apply. Occupational exposure to human breast milk has not been shown to lead to transmission of HIV or Hepatitis B infection. However, because human breast milk has been implicated in transmitting HIV from mother to infant, gloves may be worn as a precaution by health care workers who are frequently exposed to breast milk (e.g., people working in human milk banks (defined below). For additional information regarding universal precautions as they apply to breast milk in the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B infections, visit the following resources: What are Human Milk Banks? Human milk banks are a service established for the purpose of collecting milk from donors and processing, screening, storing, and distributing donated milk to meet the specific needs of individuals for whom human milk is prescribed by licensed health care providers. When possible, human milk banks also serve healthy infants who have been adopted or are not able to get their own mother’s milk. Milk banks accept donations directly at their deposit sites or they can arrange for safe, overnight transportation of human milk at no cost to the donor. Learn more about donating to a milk bank by visiting the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). Is it Safe for Families to Buy Breast Milk on the Internet? The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Food and Drug Administration recommend avoiding Internet-based milk sharing sites and instead recommend contacting milk banks. Research has demonstrated that some milk samples sold online have been contaminated with a range of bacteria.1 Non-profit donor human milk banks, where processed human milk comes from screened donors, have a long safety record in North America. All member banks of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) must operate under specific evidence-based guidelines that require extensive testing and processing procedures as well as self-reported health information and a health statement from both the donor’s healthcare provider and the infant’s healthcare provider. Because most of the milk from milk banks is given to hospitalized and fragile infants, milk banks may not have enough to serve healthy infants at all times. To find a human milk bank, contact HMBANA. 1Keim, SA, Hogan, JS, McNamara, KA, et al. Microbial contamination of human milk purchased via the internet. Pediatrics. 2013;132(5). What Legal Rights Do Breastfeeding Mothers Have? Breastfeeding Laws All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location. Visit the National Conference of State Legislatures to learn more about federal and state laws that protect and support breastfeeding. Workplace Laws The “Break Time for Nursing Mothers Provision” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers to support breastfeeding mothers to express breast milk for 1 year after each child’s birth by providing mothers with reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space to express their breast milk. Visit the United States Department of Labor to learn more. Travel Laws Air travelers are permitted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to bring breast milk, formula, and juice in excess of 3.4 ounces in their carry-on baggage and it does not need to fit within a quart size bag. Ice packs, freezer packs, and other accessories needed to keep the liquid cool are also allowed in carry-on bags. All liquids and partially frozen accessories are subject to being screened by X-ray. TSA is required by the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act (BABES act) to provide ongoing training to ensure TSA staff receive consistent training related to traveling with breast milk, formula, and infant feeding equipment. Visit the TSA to learn more about traveling with breast milk, formula, and juice. For tips on travel and breastfeeding, visit Travel Recommendations for the Nursing Mother. Visit the United States Breastfeeding Committee website to learn more about existing laws related to breastfeeding protections. How Can a Mother Continue to Provide Breast Milk to Her Infant After Returning to Work or School? Being prepared for returning to work or school can help a mother ease the transition and continue to breastfeed after her maternity leave is over. The Office on Women’s Health has information for making this transition easier. When a mother is away from her infant, she can pump or hand express her breast milk so that her infant can drink breast milk from a bottle. Mothers can visit CDC’s Infant and Toddler Nutrition website to learn more about pumping breast milk. It is important that mothers who are expressing their breast milk know the guidelines for storing and preparing human milk. Visit the CDC’s Proper Storage and Preparation of Breast Milk website to learn more. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers to support breastfeeding mothers to express breast milk for 1 year after each child’s birth by providing mothers with reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space to express their breast milk. For more information about the types of employees and employers to which the requirements apply, refer to the United States Department of Labor’s Frequently Asked Questions. Where Can Mothers Find Breastfeeding Support and Additional Information About Breastfeeding? Help mothers find lactation support through the following resources: Help mothers find resources about breastfeeding by directing them to the following websites: \|\|\|\|\| PHILADELPHIA — Infants who start eating solid foods later than usual may be at increased risk for a type of blood cancer, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed information from 172 children in Texas who had been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) — a cancer of the white blood cells — and 344 healthy children around the same age. The study included children who were fed breast milk, infant formula or both before they started eating solid foods. Children who didn't start eating solid foods until they were 10 months old or older were four times more likely to be diagnosed with ALL compared with children who started eating solid foods by age 4 months. Children who started eating solid foods at ages 7 to 9 months were three times more likely to be diagnosed with ALL compared with infants who started eating solid foods by age 4 months. However, children who started eating solid foods at ages 5 to 6 months did not have an increase in their likelihood of ALL, according to the study, which was presented here this week at the meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. The findings agree with an earlier study conducted by the same group of researchers that found that for every one-month delay in the start of solid foods, a child's likelihood of developing ALL increased by 14 percent. The researchers also found that children who were fed formula for a longer time, regardless of when solid foods were introduced, also had an increased risk of ALL. ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer. Even so, like other cancers in children, the disease is rare, so a child's overall risk of developing the disease is small, said study researcher Jeremy Schraw, a doctoral student in nutritional science at the University of Texas at Austin. About 4 in 100,000 U.S. children develop ALL yearly, according to the National Cancer Institute. [10 Ways to Promote Kids' Healthy Eating Habits] Still, he said, "I think that infant feeding exposures are important because they're universal — all infants are going to be fed. And they're modifiable, so we can change the way that infants are fed, according to our knowledge and best practices," It's still too early to make recommendations on when infants should start solid foods based on the new findings, Schraw said. But the results are generally in line with what is already recommended; the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, and start solid foods around age 6 months. Because the new study involved only children in Texas, larger studies of different populations are needed to confirm the findings, Schraw said. The study only found an association, and does not show a cause-and-effect relationship between delaying the introduction of solid foods and developing ALL. It could be that children who start solid foods later tend to have poorer health overall, which might explain the link. But Schraw said it's also possible that later introduction to solid foods might affect a baby's immune system. For example, eating solid food can affect the gut bacteria, which in turn stimulates the immune system. "Delaying introduction of solids might delay immune challenges to a child, and interfere with the normal development of the immune system, thereby increasing their risk" of ALL, Schraw said. In fact, in an early analysis of the data, Schraw found that among children who had older siblings — who tend to bring all sorts of germs into the house — the link between starting solid foods later in life and ALL risk disappeared. "These children with an older sibling are more likely to get their immune exposures elsewhere, and it seems like solid foods are less important," Schraw said. The researchers want to continue to examine the link between introducing solid foods and ALL risk, and take into account different factors, such as the type of food children are eating. The new study has not been yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. FollowLive Science @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on Live Science.	– A new study raises concerns for babies who get a late start on solid food—that is, at the age of 7 months or older, LiveScience reports. Researchers found that babies who didn't begin eating solids until the age of at least 10 months had four times the risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) than that experienced by infants who started on solids by 4 months. Babies who started at 7 to 9 months saw triple the ALL risk of those who started at 4 months. But kids who got into solid food at 5 or 6 months didn't encounter an increased risk of the illness, which is the most common type of childhood cancer in the US, the researchers note. But the study had its limits—for instance, it only involved children from Texas, and other factors could be involved in the risk level. Researchers aren't ready to say parents should abide by the findings, though they do approximately fit American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations that babies be exclusively breastfed until 6 months, at which point they should start eating solid foods; at that point, the CDC says, solid foods should "complement" breast milk. The AAP suggests babies should continue breastfeeding until they're at least a year old. Indeed, the researchers note that breastfeeding for longer than six months is also associated with a reduced ALL risk. Overall risk of the disease, however, remains low, with about four US cases diagnosed per 100,000 kids each year, LiveScience reports. (Meanwhile, recent research may offer new hope against leukemia.)
Image copyright Yulia Skripal/Facebook Image caption Yulia Skripal was treated in Salisbury District Hospital for more than a month after being exposed to a nerve agent Yulia Skripal, the poisoned daughter of Russian ex-spy Sergei, has been discharged from hospital. The 33-year-old left Salisbury District Hospital on Monday and has been taken to a secure location. The hospital said: "This is not the end of her treatment but marks a significant milestone." Her 66-year-old father remains in hospital and is "recovering more slowly than Yulia". Doctors hope he will be discharged "in due course". The pair were taken to hospital on 4 March after being exposed to the toxic nerve agent Novichok. The father and daughter were found slumped on a park bench in the centre of Salisbury. Wiltshire Police Det Sgt Nick Bailey, who attended the scene, was also treated in hospital after being exposed to the nerve agent, but has since been discharged. A statement from Ms Skripal released through the Metropolitan Police last week said her "strength is growing daily". Mr Skripal remains at Salisbury District Hospital but is no longer in a critical condition. Medical director Dr Christine Blanshard said he has made "good progress", adding: "Although he's recovering more slowly than Yulia we hope he too will be able to leave hospital in due course." Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Hospital boss says release "significant milestone" for ex-spy's daughter The government says Russia was behind the poisoning, and Prime Minister Theresa May said Moscow was "culpable" for the attack. But the Russian government denied any involvement and has accused the British of inventing a "fake story". According to the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner, Whitehall officials have compiled a list of 26 alternative explanations for the attack that have been put forward by Russia's government and media. So far they have attached blame to Ms Skripal's mother-in-law, Theresa May, and a drone, among others. Meanwhile, Mrs May welcomed the news of Ms Skripal's discharge from hospital and wished her the best for her recovery. The Russian Embassy congratulated Ms Skripal but said: "We need urgent proof that what is being done to her is done on her own free will." Responding to a Sunday Times report that the Skripals could relocate and be offered new identities, the embassy said it would view any possible resettlement as an "abduction". On Sunday the Anglican Bishop of Salisbury will host a "service of cleansing and celebration" for the attack victims at St Thomas' Church, less than 200m from where the Skripals were found. It will be followed by a procession near to the bench where they became ill. Police said the pair first came into contact with the nerve agent at their home. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Specialist officers in protective suits have retrieved samples from multiple sites in Salisbury The BBC's health and science correspondent James Gallagher said Novichok prevents enzymes called acetylcholinesterase from functioning normally at nerve junctions, including those required to keep the heart beating. He said: "But over time, the nerve agent is metabolised and excreted by the body and new acetylcholinesterase is made. "The question is whether doctors can keep patients alive long enough for that to happen." BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said the highest concentration was found on the Skripals' front door handle. Traces of Novichok were also found at the Mill pub and Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury, where the Skripals spent the afternoon. Zizzi, the Mill, the Maltings shopping centre and the Skripals' home remain cordoned off, Wiltshire Police said. Investigators identified 131 people who had potentially been in contact with the nerve agent, and up to 500 people who visited the pub or the restaurant were told to wash their clothes and possessions. Analysis: Will Russia get access to Yulia Skripal? By BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner Unseen by the public, Yulia Skripal was discreetly discharged from hospital in Salisbury last night, hours ahead of this morning's announcement. She is understood to have been taken to a secure location somewhere in Britain while discussions take place over her future safety and protection. For the UK government this could prove to be a delicate diplomatic problem. She is a Russian citizen and Moscow has been pressing for consular access. But it is by no means clear where she will want to settle given her narrow escape from death in this failed assassination attempt on her and her father, Sergei. Whitehall officials say reports that the Skripals are to be given a new identity in the US are premature. Samples of the nerve agent have been tested by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down in Wiltshire, in an attempt to verify its source. Its head said the precise source of the nerve agent had not been verified, but it was likely to have been deployed by a "state actor". A diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West has followed, with more than 20 countries expelling Russian envoys in solidarity with the UK. Russia's request for a new, joint investigation was voted down at the international chemical weapons watchdog at The Hague on 4 April. Image caption Yulia and Sergei Skripal were taken to Salisbury District Hospital after being found slumped on a bench in Salisbury Mr Skripal is a retired military intelligence officer who was convicted of passing the identities of Russian intelligence agents working undercover in Europe to the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. He was jailed for 13 years by Russia in 2006, but was released in 2010 as part of an exchange for 10 Russian spies arrested by the FBI. Ms Skripal regularly travelled between the UK and Moscow, and had returned from Russia the day before the pair were poisoned. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption BBC Rewind looks back at cases of high-profile Russians targeted on foreign soil After Ms Skripal was discharged, her cousin, Viktoria Skripal, told Russian news agency Interfax that Ms Skripal planned to ask for political asylum during a press conference - although she does not know in which country. Viktoria Skripal has been refused a UK visa to visit her relatives. The Home Office said the application did not comply with immigration rules, but a government source told the BBC it appears Russia is "trying to use Viktoria as a pawn". Viktoria later told the BBC she did not have enough money in her bank account to satisfy the visa requirements. \|\|\|\|\| SALISBURY, England (Reuters) - Yulia Skripal has left hospital more than five weeks after she and her father, a former Russian spy, were poisoned with a nerve agent in an attack that has sparked one of the biggest crises in the West’s relations with the Kremlin since the Cold War. An undated photograph shows Yulia Skripal, daughter of former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal, taken from Yulia Skripal's Facebook account in London, Britain, April 6, 2018. Yulia Skripal/Facebook via REUTERS Yulia and Sergei Skripal, 66, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of agents to Britain’s MI6 foreign spy service, were found unconscious on a public bench in the English cathedral city of Salisbury on March 4. Britain accused Russia of being behind the nerve agent attack and Western governments including the United States expelled over 100 Russian diplomats. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning and retaliated in kind. The Skripals were in a critical condition for weeks and doctors at one point feared, even if they survived, they might have suffered brain damage. But the Skripals’ health since then has begun to improve rapidly. Yulia, 33, has been discharged from Salisbury District Hospital, Christine Blanshard, medical director of the hospital, told reporters on Tuesday and her father could be discharged in due course. “We have now discharged Yulia,” Blanshard said. “This is not the end of her treatment, but marks a significant milestone.” “Her father has also made good progress,” Blanshard said. “ “Although he is recovering more slowly than Yulia, we hope that he too will be able to leave hospital in due course.” Yulia has been taken to a secure location, the BBC said. The Sunday Times reported that Britain was considering giving the Skripals new identities and a fresh life in the United States to protect them from further attacks. Russia said it would consider any secret resettlement of the Skripals as an abduction of its citizens. “The world, while having no opportunity to interact with them, will have every reason to see this as an abduction of the two Russian nationals or at least as their isolation,” a spokesman for the Russian embassy in London said. DIPLOMATIC CRISIS British Prime Minister Theresa May said the Skripals were poisoned with Novichok, a deadly group of nerve agents developed by the Soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s. Russia has denied Britain’s charges of involvement in the first known offensive use of such a nerve agent on European soil since World War Two and suggested Britain carried out the attack itself to stoke anti-Russian hysteria. Russia has said it does not have such nerve agents and President Vladimir Putin said it was nonsense to think that Moscow would have poisoned Skripal and his daughter. Blanshard, a doctor with 25 years experience, said nerve agents work by attaching themselves to particular enzymes in the body that then stop the nerves from functioning. She said this had resulted in sickness and hallucinations. Giving the first details about the medical treatment of the Skripals, she said doctors had first sought to stabilise them to ensure that they could breathe and that blood could circulate. “We then needed to use a variety of different drugs to support the patients, until they could create more enzymes to replace those affected by the poisoning,” Blanshard said. “We also used specialised decontamination techniques to remove any residual toxins.” She did not say when Yulia had been discharged. Both Britain and Russia congratulated Skripal, a Russian citizen, on her recovery. “We congratulate Yulia Skripal on her recovery,” the Russian embassy in London said, adding that it had not been granted consular access to her. Slideshow (6 Images) Sergei Skripal, who was recruited by Britain’s MI6, was arrested for treason in Moscow in 2004. He ended up in Britain after being swapped in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the United States. Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found poisoned. He has British citizenship.	– More good news for the daughter of a poisoned former Russian spy: Yulia Skripal is out of the hospital. "This is not the end of her treatment but marks a significant milestone," says a statement from the UK's Salisbury District Hospital, per the BBC. The 33-year-old had been treated there since last month after she and her father, Sergei Skripal, were found poisoned by the nerve agent Novichok. The hospital said the elder Skripal also was improving, but not as quickly as his daughter, who will continue her recuperation at an undisclosed location. The US and Britain continue to blame Russia for the attacks, while Moscow continues to deny any involvement, notes Reuters.
In this May 13, 2014 photo, Saira Blair, a 17-year-old student at Hedgesville High School, waves to motorists along Route 9 in Hedgesville, W. Va. After Tuesday’s GOP primary, the 17-year-old is one election... (Associated Press) In this May 13, 2014 photo, Saira Blair, a 17-year-old student at Hedgesville High School, waves to motorists along Route 9 in Hedgesville, W. Va. After Tuesday’s GOP primary, the 17-year-old is one election... (Associated Press) CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A week before her high school graduation, Saira Blair was barely old enough to vote when she unseated a West Virginia lawmaker almost four times her age. After Tuesday's GOP primary, the 17-year-old is one election away from becoming the youngest state lawmaker in West Virginia history. Larry Swan, sworn in as a 20-year-old delegate in 1972, set the current record. Blair's birthday is in July, so she would just meet the 18-year-old minimum age for West Virginia House of Delegates members. Seventeen-year-olds who will turn 18 by the November election can vote in West Virginia's primary. Soft-spoken and on-message, Blair is a churchgoer who says she is pro-life, pro-family, pro-gun rights and pro-business. She can rattle off a laundry list of businesses taxes she wants abolished or lowered. "People saw that you don't need to wait until you are 40, 50 or 60 to realize our conservative principles are beneficial to everyone," the Martinsburg teen said of her primary win. Blair also has family experience on her side. Her electrician father, Craig Blair, is a state senator who once held the House seat she is seeking. The teenager has more on her mind than stump speeches. She graduates from Hedgesville High School next Wednesday. Then she'll head to West Virginia University in the fall to pursue economics and Spanish degrees. She says finance is her field of choice. Blair will skip spring classes if she clinches the Eastern Panhandle seat, since lawmakers convene for business in Charleston from January to March. The two-year House gig pays a $20,000 annual salary, plus per diem. Only about 150 votes separated Blair from Republican Del. Larry Kump in the Eastern Panhandle primary, according to unofficial results. But midterm turnout was dismal: Only about 1,600 votes were cast in the 59th House District. Friends in her high school class of 400 helped wave signs at polling places. She rallied some to register to vote. Blair also spent $4,900 and had a $2,300 loan, compared to Kump's $1,840 in spending. "Quite frankly, she out-campaigned me," said Kump, 67, finishing his second House term. "It was a low voter turnout election and she won." Blair's conservative platform meshes with her Eastern Panhandle community, a GOP stronghold filled with Washington, D.C., commuters. Kump espoused his own brand of quirky conservatism. He sat in the Democratic House's back row with a yellow "Don't tread on me" flag on his desk. He occasionally tapped into his inner Dr. Seuss and delivered rhymes in opposition to bills he considered government intrusion. He also wanted the Eastern Panhandle to return to Virginia, which Blair opposed. Blair has attended GOP meetings with her dad since the sixth grade and volunteers with various groups. She skipped senior prom to participate in a Youth in Government meeting in Charleston. "She has never had a curfew or anything like that," Craig Blair said. "As long as you're performing to the best of your ability, I don't make rules for her." Blair's Democratic opponent, 44-year-old lawyer Layne Diehl, said that it's positive that the teen won the primary, despite their differing views. "She certainly has taken on this challenge and I think that she's up to it," Diehl said. \|\|\|\|\| Close Get email notifications on Matthew Umstead daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. Whenever Matthew Umstead posts new content, you'll get an email delivered to your inbox with a link. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.	– Saira Blair can't legally vote yet, but she managed to rack up a sizable number of votes all the same. The West Virginia 17-year-old emerged victorious in the Republican primary over (two-term) incumbent state delegate Larry Kump, 872-728, on Tuesday. Among the very teenage elements to her campaign, per the Washington Post and the Herald-Mail: She freely gave out her cellphone number to voters and described the job as not "rocket science by any means." Blair, who is pro-gun rights, against abortion, and the daughter of a West Virginia state senator, also outspent the 67-year-old $4,800 to $1,800. She'll be up against Layne Diehl in November in her quest to win a seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates. If she does so, she'll be the youngest state lawmaker in West Virginia history, reports the AP—and will have to skip the spring semester at West Virginia University, where she's headed in the fall to pursue economics and Spanish degrees. Lawmakers convene for business in Charleston from January to March, and the two-year House gig pays a $20,000 annual salary.
A New York City police officer was shot and killed in an “unprovoked attack” as she was sitting in a marked police vehicle early Wednesday in the Bronx, authorities said. Officer Miosotis Familia was inside the large vehicle — known as a mobile command post — with her partner at 12:30 a.m. when a gunman fired through a window and struck Familia in the head, police said. The city’s police commissioner called the shooting an assassination. Familia, a 12-year NYPD veteran, was taken to a hospital in extremely critical condition, police said. Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill announced on Twitter several hours later that Familia had died. Familia’s partner was not wounded in the attack. In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Familia was “unjustly targeted and murdered in a cowardly, unprovoked attack.” “She will be remembered for her years of service and for the example of selflessness that she set protecting people on our streets,” Sessions said. “This murder in cold blood is a tragedy, and sadly it is the latest in a troubling series of attacks on police officers over the past two years.” Police said Familia was wrapping up her shift when the gunman fired. “My partner’s shot! My partner’s shot! My partner’s shot! Hurry up central!” her partner was heard screaming into a police radio, according to the Associated Press. Two other officers confronted the suspected gunman about a block away from the scene of the shooting, police said. The shooting suspect was shot and killed after he drew a revolver, police said. He was identified by authorities as 34-year-old Alexander Bonds. Alexander Bonds (New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision) A bystander was shot during that encounter. Police said that person is in stable condition. It remains unclear what prompted the attack, officials said. A police spokesman said Familia did not know Bonds. Ten months earlier, Bonds posted an 11-minute video to his Facebook page that complains about mistreatment at the hands of officers during his incarceration, and he suggested that he would fight a police officer if he encountered one on the street. In addition to the robbery, Bonds served more than six months in prison in 2004 for selling a controlled substance. “I’m not playing, Mister Officer. I don’t care about a hundred police watching this s—shit. You see this face. You see this face or anything, leave it alone. Trust and believe,” he said in the video. “I’m not hesitating. It ain’t happening,” Bond added. “I wasn’t a b—- bitch in jail, and I’m not going to be a b—- bitch in the streets.” A law enforcement official told The Washington Post that the NYPD believes the video to be authentic and is investigating it further. Bonds, who also went by the name John Bonds, was paroled in May 2013 after serving seven years for robbery in Onondaga County, according to the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. He also served more than six months in prison in 2004 for selling a controlled substance. The shooting was reminiscent of the 2014 killings of two New York police officers who were shot at point-blank range while sitting in a police car in Brooklyn. “It’s clear that this was an assassination,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at the time. “These officers were shot execution-style, a particularly despicable act which goes to the heart of our society and our democracy.” Authorities said the gunman in the 2014 ambush had declared his intention on Instagram to kill officers as retribution for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, black men who were killed by police that year. [NYPD: Attacker dead after report of ‘several people shot’ at Bronx Hospital] The Dec. 20, 2014, killings of NYPD Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos inflamed tensions between the city’s police force and de Blasio, who during his 2013 mayoral campaign had strongly criticized the department’s “stop-and-frisk” tactic. After the ambush, police union officials accused the Democratic mayor of feeding anti-police sentiment. The rift prompted hundreds of police officers to turn their backs as de Blasio spoke at the funeral of one of the two slain officers. In 2016, law enforcement fatalities spiked to their highest level in five years, with 135 officers killed in the line of duty, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a nonprofit group that monitors line-of-duty deaths. The rising death toll rattled police officers nationwide. Ambushes dominated the news after a pair of July 2016 attacks in which eight officers were shot in what authorities described as targeted attacks fueled by anger over how police use force on minorities. An ambush in Dallas on July 7, 2016 — the deadliest single day for law enforcement since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — targeted officers patrolling a protest over deadly police shootings in Baton Rouge and Falcon Heights, Minn., over the preceding days. Five officers were killed and nine others wounded before police killed the attacker. [Two New York City police officers are shot and killed in a brazen ambush in Brooklyn] Ten days later, another attacker sought out law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge, killing two police officers and a sheriff’s deputy before he was felled by a sniper. Officials said in a report released last week that the gunman had researched the officers involved in the deadly shooting of Alton Sterling, a black man killed outside a Baton Rouge store in an incident partially captured on video. In November, two Iowa police officers sitting in their squad cars were killed in a pair of ambush attacks. A San Antonio officer writing a ticket was ambushed and killed not long after. These episodes helped fuel an uptick in police officer deaths last year, with 64 officers fatally shot, a 41 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Memorial Fund. Nearly one in three officers fatally shot was killed in what were deemed to be ambush attacks like those in Dallas and Baton Rouge. #NYPD PO Miosotis Familia has been assassinated in an unprovoked attack on cops assigned to keep NYers safe. Keep her family in your prayers pic.twitter.com/yhRB7H5bvi — Commissioner O'Neill (@NYPDONeill) July 5, 2017 Overall, law enforcement line-of-duty deaths have declined since the 1970s, when twice as many police officers were fatally shot each year and twice as many officers were killed annually. Still, in recent years, police have said they feel demonized by protests against how law enforcement officers use deadly force. Demonstrations have erupted in cities such as New York, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and San Francisco after high-profile killings by officers. Before 2016, traffic-related incidents — rather than shootings — were the leading cause of police deaths for most of the past two decades. Last year, nearly half of all police officer deaths were gun-related, the largest share in any year since 1994. So far this year, at least 65 officers have been killed — a 25 percent increase over the same period last year, according to the Memorial Fund. Nearly half of them were killed by gunfire, but the overall increase in fatalities was largely fueled by what the fund called “other causes,” which can include boating accidents and illnesses. I offer my deepest condolences to Officer Familia's loved ones and fellow members of the NYPD. Today, we all mourn one of New York's Finest. — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 5, 2017 Woke to the terrible news that Officer Miosotis Familia was shot & killed in the Bronx overnight. God bless her family & the NYPD. — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 5, 2017 Familia, 48, joined the New York Police Department in July 2005. She was a mother of three, said Patrick J. Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. In a statement, Lynch said of Familia: [She] gave her life protecting a neighborhood that had been plagued by gang gun violence. Fully knowing the dangers that she faced, she suited up in uniform every day and stood tall against those who threaten and terrorize the good folks of the Bronx. As we mourn her death and support her family, friends and colleagues, we ask for your help. Violence against police officers cannot stand. When you see or hear someone making threats against NYC police officers you need to let us know, you need to be our eyes and ears. Vivian Gomez, who lived in the same Bronx apartment building as Familia, said Wednesday morning that she’d heard about a police officer who was shot, but she did not know until a Washington Post reporter contacted her that the slain officer was her upstairs neighbor. [Ambushes and fatal shootings fuel increase in police death toll this year] She didn’t know Familia well, Gomez said, but they often saw each other in passing. “When our paths crossed, she was either coming to or from work; I know she loved the job,” Gomez told The Post. “I never heard her say a negative thing about her job. Oftentimes, people would gripe about the hours, the long days. I never heard her say, ‘I dislike my job’ or ‘It’s tough.’ She always had a smile on her face.” Gomez said Familia appeared to be devoted to her children. “She always seemed to be a very caring mother. … Every time I saw her, she had her kids,” Gomez said. “They all seemed to be a very close-knit family. I found her always to be a very warm spirit.” A relative reached by The Post on Wednesday declined to comment. “It’s just an unfortunate situation in the time we live in, where cops are targeted,” Gomez said of Familia’s death. “I know there’s a lot of distress about lack of justice in our community. … She’s a real face behind the badge.” Peter Holley and Julie Tate contributed to this report, which has been updated. READ MORE: Officers at New York precinct told not to shower at station after fears of Legionnaires’ disease A black off-duty cop tried to help stop a crime. Another officer shot him. Three Chicago police officers charged with conspiring to cover up Laquan McDonald shooting \|\|\|\|\| Officer Miosotis Familia of the New York Police Department was the youngest of nine brothers and sisters, a family dynamic that gave her an outspoken personality and a no-nonsense edge, a nephew said — and made her a perfect fit for her job. On Wednesday morning, Officer Familia, 48, died after she was shot in the head by a man who the police say fired a revolver into a parked police vehicle in the Bronx. She was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where she was pronounced dead about three hours later. The gunman, who was identified as Alexander Bonds, was fatally shot by the police a short time later, after he drew a gun, the police said. Mr. Bonds, 34, was paroled four years ago after serving seven years in state prison. The killing of Officer Familia thrust the department into mourning and her family into grief. “She would set anybody straight,” the nephew, John Cuello, said in an interview. “I’ve seen a lot of her putting her siblings in their place. Holding her ground. Her attitude was, ‘I might be the youngest one, but I’m the toughest one.’” He recalled her encouraging her nieces and nephews, whenever they got into neighborhood scrapes, to confront their problems head on, and never hide. \|\|\|\|\| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites.	– "She was a fighter, she was tough—and that was the job for her," Miosotis Familia's nephew tells the New York Times. Family, friends, and coworkers are mourning the loss of the NYPD officer and Bronx native who was fatally shot early Wednesday only a few miles from her home. A longtime friend says Familia grew up during the crack epidemic, and that made her want to help people. The New York Daily News reports Familia spent five years as a nurse at New York University Hospital and another two years at the American Red Cross before joining the NYPD 12 years ago. “Fully knowing the dangers that she faced, she suited up in uniform every day and stood tall against those who threaten and terrorize the good folks of the Bronx,” the head of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association says. Familia didn't just take care of the citizens of New York, she also raised three children while caring for her elderly mother. “There is not one single negative thing that anyone can say about her,” the president of the Dominican Officers Association says. “That’s not because of her death—that’s just her nature." Familia was shot and killed while sitting in a police vehicle. It's unclear why she was shot, and she didn't know the shooter, who was killed by police a short time later. Jeff Sessions says Familia's death is the "latest in a troubling series of attacks on police officers over the past two years," the Washington Post reports. The attorney general says the 48-year-old officer was "unjustly targeted and murdered in a cowardly, unprovoked attack."
SAN DIEGO - A federal judge in San Diego issued an order from the bench Thursday declaring that the government's display of a 43-foot cross atop Mount Soledad in La Jolla violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The federal display was challenged in a 2006 lawsuit by the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America and several local residents, all of whom were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties. "We support the government paying tribute to those who served bravely in our country's armed forces," said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. "But we should honor all of our heroes under one flag, not just one particular religious symbol." The cross was erected in 1954 and was dedicated at an Easter Sunday ceremony describing the monument as a "gleaming white symbol of Christianity." In 2006, the federal government, through an act of Congress, obtained the title to the cross and its surrounding property by eminent domain, and declared the cross to be a national war memorial. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2011 that the cross violated the First Amendment. After the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, it was remanded back to federal court in San Diego, where today's order was issued. U.S. District Judge Larry Burns ordered the cross to be removed within 90 days, but stayed the order until all possible appeals have been exhausted. Proponents of the cross said they might again petition the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. \|\|\|\|\| A San Diego federal judge made a reluctant ruling Thursday that the cross atop Mount Soledad is unconstitutional, although the chances of the La Jolla monument coming down anytime soon are unlikely. The latest ruling by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns will likely send the case back to the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court declined to hear the case last year, but said it could reconsider once a lower court enters a final judgment. Burns ordered the cross to be removed within 90 days, and then stayed that order until all appeals have been exhausted. Both sides on Thursday called the latest ruling a victory, for different reasons. “After 23 years, if you can’t come to a reasonable resolution, you’ve got a constitutional violation and you have to remedy it,” said attorney James McElroy, who has fought to remove the cross for several years. On the other hand, cross supporters say this ruling moves them closer to getting the case reviewed once and for all by the Supreme Court. Do you think the Mount Soledad cross should come down? Yes 40% (5620) No 60% (8532) 14152 total votes. “I’m somewhat upbeat about this. Believe me, we’ve had darker days,” said one of the opposing lawyers, Charles LiMandri, president and chief counsel of Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund. The legal battle over the large cross, erected in 1954, has ping-ponged across numerous jurisdictions for years. The land the cross sits on was transferred from city of San Diego ownership to the federal government in 2005 in response to the threat of it being taken down under a court order. The monument, which includes 3,000 plaques honoring military veterans, is operated by the Mount Soledad Memorial Association. In 2006, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, as well as local residents, filed a lawsuit objecting to the display of the cross on federal property. The American Civil Liberties Union is helping represent the organization. “We support the government paying tribute to those who served bravely in our country’s armed forces,” Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said in a statement. “But we should honor all of our heroes under one flag, not just one particular religious symbol.” Burns ruled initially in 2008 that the cross could stay, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the decision three years later, saying the cross sent a message that the government endorsed Christianity and therefore violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits government endorsement of religion. The court did leave open the possibility for other legal alternatives to keep the cross in place. When cross supporters petitioned to have the case heard by the Supreme Court, the justices declined to take the case, returning it to the lower courts but adding that if the government was unhappy with the results they would consider taking another look at it. Justice Samuel Alito did point out in his concurrence to the denial for review that the issue surrounding the cross is “a question of substantial importance.”	– A giant cross that's stood on a San Diego mountain for decades may not dot Mount Soledad for many more. A judge has ruled the 43-foot national war memorial cross violates the separation of church and state and needs to be removed within 90 days—once all appeals are exhausted, that is. But since the cross's supporters plan to petition the Supreme Court, it won't be going away too quickly, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Justices already refused to hear the case once, sending it to the lower courts, but did leave open the option of a later review of the decades-long legal battle. The cross sits on federal land, after being transferred out of the city's ownership in 2005 to avoid the cross being removed under court order. Alternatives to taking it down, like putting up signs that the cross—erected in 1954 as a "gleaming white symbol of Christianity," KGTV reports—is not an endorsement of Christianity, were bounced around before a ruling was made, but surprisingly, both sides seem happy with the result. "I'm somewhat upbeat about this," says a lawyer who fought for the cross to remain standing, noting the decision moves the case closer to a final decision from the Supreme Court. "Believe me, we've had darker days."
Carey Gabey, an aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has been declared brain dead after being hit with a stray bullet Sept. 7, 2015, according to his family. (Photo: Courtesy New York State Executive Chamber) ALBANY, N.Y. — The attorney in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration who was struck by a stray bullet last week has died after being taken off life support, his family said. A family spokesman said Carey Gabey, 43, was taken off a respirator earlier Wednesday. The family earlier reported Gabay had been declared brain dead. "He was a prince among men," friend and family spokesman Errol Cockfield said via an e-mail to USA TODAY late Wednesday. Gabay had been in critical condition at the Kings County Hospital Center since he was shot in the head early Sept. 7, when police say he was seeking cover from gang-related gunfire that rang out as he walked along a Brooklyn street. In a statement Wednesday, Gabay’s family said he was officially declared brain dead late Tuesday night. “There are difficult decisions we will face in the coming hours and days as our family struggles to process what this means for us. We ask that our privacy be respected during this difficult time,” according to the statement, which was distributed by family spokesman Errol Cockfield. Gabay served in Cuomo’s administration since 2011, first as an assistant counsel in the governor’s office and currently as first deputy general counsel at Empire State Development, the state’s economic-development arm. A Harvard-educated lawyer who grew up in the Bronx projects, Gabay’s chances for survival appeared grim. Hours after the shooting, Cuomo said Gabay was in “very, very critical condition.” Today we are all incredibly saddened by the news from Carey Gabay’s family. — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) September 16, 2015 Gabay’s family made a plea for information regarding his shooter, who remains on the loose. The New York Police Department has offered $12,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. “We ask that anyone who may have information related to the criminal case contact law enforcement as they conduct their investigation,” the family said in its statement. “We will continue to burn a flame for Carey with the same tenacious yet tender spirit that has guided him.” Contributing: Melanie Eversley in New York. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1iPniq0 \|\|\|\|\| The aide to Gov. Cuomo who was hospitalized for more than a week after being shot in the head during festivities leading up to the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn has died, police said. (Published Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015) The aide to Gov. Cuomo who was hospitalized for more than a week after being shot in the head during festivities leading up to the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn has died, police said. Carey Gabay, a first deputy general counsel at the Empire State Development Corporation, succumbed to his injuries Wednesday night at Kings County Hospital, according to the NYPD. Gabay had been hospitalized for more than a week while in a coma, and his family said earlier Wednesday he was brain dead. Gabay was caught in the crossfire between two gangs around 3:40 a.m. Sept. 7 near the parade route in Brooklyn as more than two dozen shots from up to three guns were fired, authorities have said. The NYPD has released surveillance video of two men wanted for questioning in the case and authorities are offering a $12,500 reward for information leading to an arrest. Gabay, a 43-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer and Bronx native, joined Cuomo's administration in 2011. The governor said in a statement Wednesday night he learned of Gabay's death "with profound sadness." “Carey was the epitome of an outstanding public servant. He held a tremendous commitment to his community, and he chose to use his many talents to better the lives of others. New York is undeniably a better place today because of his service," Cuomo said."He was also a friend and role model to the many people who were blessed to have known him, and he will be greatly missed." Gabay had been "fighting bravely surrounded by the loved ones to whom he has brought so much joy with his jovial nature, generosity of spirit and enduring smile," his family said in a statement earlier Wednesday, before he died. "Many have come to know Carey through professional life, but he is also a kind-hearted and selfless soul who has touched the spirit of everyone he's met," the family said. "Our family is grieving that a man in the prime of his life who has impacted so many lives could be struck down by such a callous act," the family's earlier statement said. "Carey embodies the American story. A son of Jamaican immigrants, he rose from Bronx public housing to earn an undergraduate and law degree from Harvard and then went on to a distinguished career as a lawyer in private practice and well-respected public servant." The shooting was one of several outbursts of violence in the neighborhoods surrounding the parade. A 24-year-old man was fatally stabbed near Grand Army Plaza. Bloodshed before or after the West Indian Day celebration has become a sadly familiar part of the parade routine. Last year, a recent parolee opened fire into a crowd of revelers, killing one man and wounding several others. And in 2013, a 1-year-old boy sitting in his stroller was killed by a bullet meant for his father. Asked about the future of the parade, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said last week, "The political leadership, the community leadership, the communities themselves want that celebration. They've made that quite clear. ... So we will work to the best of our ability to deal with the elements in that community that engage in that violence." Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crime Stopper at 800-577-TIPS. Top News Photos: Roger Stone, Doomsday Clock and More	– The aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who was hit by a stray bullet during gang-related gunfire last week died tonight, reports NBC New York. Attorney Carey Gabay, 43, was walking on a street in Brooklyn early on Sept. 7 when he was hit; the shooter remains on the loose. Earlier today, the family announced that Gabay had been declared brain dead, and he was subsequently taken off a respirator, reports USA Today. "Today we are all incredibly saddened by the news from Carey Gabay’s family,” Cuomo said in a statement. “I ask that all New Yorkers please join me in keeping both Carey and his family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
A hypothetical giant world beyond Neptune, which could be located in the next few years, orbits at a 30-degree angle to other planets, astronomers said A possible ninth planet may be the reason for a tilt in our solar system Astronomers presented new research on the possibility of a gigantic, unseen planet beyond Neptune on Wednesday, saying the hypothetical world may have set the solar system at a tilt. Researchers first suggested a massive ninth planet in January, saying that although this putative world would be about 10 times the size of Earth, it could have escaped a telescope’s notice because of its extreme distance from the sun. One year on this planet, according to their calculations, would last 17,000 years on Earth, and it would travel as far away as 93bn miles from the sun, where it would take light a week to arrive. On Wednesday, astronomers at the California Institute of Technology presented their new evidence in Pasadena, California, at the annual meeting of planetary scientists of the American Astronomical Society. “The search for planet nine,” Caltech astronomer Mike Brown said, “is as much about understanding the effects of planet nine on the solar system, the physics of planet nine, as it is about understanding where it is.” Brown said that his team had calculated how a hypothetical planet could be responsible for making the sun appear to tilt at an angle. Though the eight planets orbit in an essentially flat plane around the sun, the plane itself rotates at nearly a six-degree angle, making it look like the sun itself is angled. A giant planet with a strange orbit, about 30 degrees off the other planets’ plane, could account for that wobble, the scientists suggested. “Because Planet Nine is so massive and has an orbit tilted compared to the other planets,” said Elizabeth Bailey, the study’s author, “the solar system has no choice but to slowly twist out of alignment. “It’s such a deep-rooted mystery and so difficult to explain that people just don’t talk about it,” said Brown. “If you ask yourself where the sun is tilted in real life there’s where we predict it should be,” he added, noting that the calculations of mass and orbital angle had results of six degrees. “The amazing thing is for these very standard [observations],” Brown said, “it tilts it nearly exactly correctly. “At this stage we have so many lines of evidence that there’s a massive planet out there,” he added, “that if there’s not a massive planet out there it has to be that there was one there yesterday and disappeared.” Brown suggested that scientists may be able to locate the planet, if it exists, in the next few years, and that his team’s work would be published in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Another team of researchers, led by the University of Arizona’s Renu Malhotra, also shared new research suggesting a hypothetical planet – though they cautioned that it was by no means proof of the world. They found that the four objects with the longest known orbits in the Kuiper Belt, the solar system’s distant ring of ancient rocks and dwarf planets, would be most easily explained by a mammoth new planet. These “extreme” Kuiper Belt objects, which have elongated orbits that come very close to and stray very far from the sun, would probably not be affected by the large planets of the solar system, as the dwarf planet Pluto is affected by Neptune, for instance. The astronomers noticed that these four objects have “very simple orbital ratios”, said Malhotra, suggesting “they are in resonances with an unseen massive planet”. The research narrows down the range where a hypothetical planet could be, Malhotra said, and fit with prior calculations about six Kuiper Belt objects whose orbits appear to be in small ratios with a massive planet. “Our paper provides more specific estimates for the mass and orbit that this planet would have, and, more importantly, constraints on its current position within its orbit,” Malhotra said. Brown and Malhotra both conceded that there are reasons to be skeptical, despite the former’s optimism for discovery. “There are observational biases all over the Kuiper Belt,” Brown said. “We always worry about them. we don’t think they’re affecting results.” \|\|\|\|\| X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Credit: NASA Planet Nine—the undiscovered planet at the edge of the Solar System that was predicted by the work of Caltech's Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown in January 2016—appears to be responsible for the unusual tilt of the sun, according to a new study. The large and distant planet may be adding a wobble to the solar system, giving the appearance that the sun is tilted slightly. "Because Planet Nine is so massive and has an orbit tilted compared to the other planets, the solar system has no choice but to slowly twist out of alignment," says Elizabeth Bailey, a graduate student at Caltech and lead author of a study announcing the discovery. All of the planets orbit in a flat plane with respect to the sun, roughly within a couple degrees of each other. That plane, however, rotates at a six-degree tilt with respect to the sun—giving the appearance that the sun itself is cocked off at an angle. Until now, no one had found a compelling explanation to produce such an effect. "It's such a deep-rooted mystery and so difficult to explain that people just don't talk about it," says Brown, the Richard and Barbara Rosenberg Professor of Planetary Astronomy. Brown and Batygin's discovery of evidence that the sun is orbited by an as-yet-unseen planet—that is about 10 times the size of Earth with an orbit that is about 20 times farther from the sun on average than Neptune's—changes the physics. Planet Nine, based on their calculations, appears to orbit at about 30 degrees off from the other planets' orbital plane—in the process, influencing the orbit of a large population of objects in the Kuiper Belt, which is how Brown and Batygin came to suspect a planet existed there in the first place. "It continues to amaze us; every time we look carefully we continue to find that Planet Nine explains something about the solar system that had long been a mystery," says Batygin, an assistant professor of planetary science. Their findings have been accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal, and will be presented on October 18 at the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences annual meeting, held in Pasadena. The tilt of the solar system's orbital plane has long befuddled astronomers because of the way the planets formed: as a spinning cloud slowly collapsing first into a disk and then into objects orbiting a central star. Planet Nine's angular momentum is having an outsized impact on the solar system based on its location and size. A planet's angular momentum equals the mass of an object multiplied by its distance from the sun, and corresponds with the force that the planet exerts on the overall system's spin. Because the other planets in the solar system all exist along a flat plane, their angular momentum works to keep the whole disk spinning smoothly. Planet Nine's unusual orbit, however, adds a multi-billion-year wobble to that system. Mathematically, given the hypothesized size and distance of Planet Nine, a six-degree tilt fits perfectly, Brown says. The next question, then, is how did Planet Nine achieve its unusual orbit? Though that remains to be determined, Batygin suggests that the planet may have been ejected from the neighborhood of the gas giants by Jupiter, or perhaps may have been influenced by the gravitational pull of other stellar bodies in the solar system's extreme past. For now, Brown and Batygin continue to work with colleagues throughout the world to search the night sky for signs of Planet Nine along the path they predicted in January. That search, Brown says, may take three years or more. Explore further: Beyond Neptune, a chunk of ice is orbiting the sun in the wrong direction \|\|\|\|\| Artist's illustration of the putative Planet Nine, which may lie undiscovered in the outer solar system. PASADENA, Calif. — The putative "Planet Nine" may have tilted the entire solar system, researchers say. In January, astronomers revealed evidence for the potential existence of another planet in the solar system. Researchers suggest that if this world — dubbed Planet Nine — exists, it could be about 10 times Earth's mass and orbit the sun at a distance about 500 times the distance from the Earth to the sun. Previous research suggested that Planet Nine would possess a highly tilted orbit compared with the relatively thin, flat zone in which the eight official planets circle the sun. This led scientists to investigate whether Planet Nine's slant might help explain other tilting seen elsewhere in the solar system. [The Evidence for 'Planet Nine' in Images (Gallery)] Now, researchers suggest that Planet Nine's influence might have tilted the entire solar system except the sun. "Planet Nine may have tilted the other planets over the lifetime of the solar system," said study lead author Elizabeth Bailey, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Prior work found that the zone in which the eight major planets orbit the sun is tilted by about 6 degrees compared to the sun's equator. This discrepancy has long been a mystery in astronomy. Researchers say an anomaly in the orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects points to the existence of an unknown planet orbiting the sun. Here's what we know of this potential "Planet Nine." Credit: by Karl Tate, Infographics artist Bailey and her colleagues ran computer simulations that suggest that the tilt of the eight official planets can be explained by the gravitational influence of Planet Nine "over the 4.5-billion-years-ish lifetime of the solar system," Bailey told Space.com. Bailey did note that there are other potential explanations for the tilt of the solar system. One alternative is that electrically charged particles influenced by the young sun's magnetic field could have interacted with the disk of gas and dust that gave rise to the planets in ways that tilted the solar system. Another possibility is that there might have been an imbalance in the mass of the nascent sun's core. "However, all these other ways to explain why the solar system is tilted are really hard to test — they all invoke processes that were possibly present really early in the solar system," Bailey said. "Planet Nine is the first thing that has been proposed to tilt the solar system that doesn't depend on early conditions, so if we find Planet Nine, we will be able to see if it's the only thing responsible for the tilt, or if anything else may have played a role." The scientists detailed their findings yesterday (Oct. 18) at a joint meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences and European Planetary Science Congress in Pasadena, California. Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.	– New research may have solved a "deep-rooted mystery" about our solar system and lent credence to the theory that there's a ninth planet chilling beyond Pluto. (Sorry, buddy.) Researchers at Caltech, including Konstantin Batygin and Mike "Pluto Killer" Brown (who first floated the "Planet Nine" theory), say evidence of the massive body has been right under our noses—or actually above our heads—all this time: The planet may cause the sun to appear tilted. How? Well, the orbits of all other planets in our solar system are mostly flat, yet the zone in which they orbit the sun is tilted about six degrees off the sun's equator, per a press release. A massive hidden planet with an orbit set 30 degrees off the other planets' orbits would explain why that is. Such a planet would give the solar system "no choice but to slowly twist," study author Elizabeth Bailey says, and calculations apparently check out, per the Guardian. There are other possibilities—that the planets were created this way or the sun's core influenced the orbits early on—but "Planet Nine is the first thing that has been proposed to tilt the solar system that doesn't depend on early conditions, so if we find Planet Nine, we will be able to see if it's the only thing responsible," Bailey tells Space.com. Separate research from the University of Arizona notes a massive planet would also explain odd orbits in the Kuiper Belt, the region beyond Neptune's orbit. If there isn't a ninth planet, "it has to be that there was one there yesterday and [it] disappeared," Brown says. (Astronomers recently made a "jackpot" discovery.)
Map goes on sale in Oxford for £60,000 after being found inside novel belonging to illustrator Pauline Baynes A recently discovered map of Middle-earth annotated by JRR Tolkien reveals The Lord of the Rings author’s observation that Hobbiton is on the same latitude as Oxford, and implies that the Italian city of Ravenna could be the inspiration behind the fictional city of Minas Tirith. The map was found loose in a copy of the acclaimed illustrator Pauline Baynes’ copy of The Lord of the Rings. Baynes had removed the map from another edition of the novel as she began work on her own colour Map of Middle-earth for Tolkien, which would go on to be published by Allen & Unwin in 1970. Tolkien himself had then copiously annotated it in green ink and pencil, with Baynes adding her own notes to the document while she worked. Blackwell’s, which is currently exhibiting the map in Oxford and selling it for £60,000, called it “an important document, and perhaps the finest piece of Tolkien ephemera to emerge in the last 20 years at least”. It shows what Blackwell’s called “the exacting nature” of Tolkien’s creative vision: he corrects place names, provides extra ones, and gives Baynes a host of suggestions about the map’s various flora and fauna. Hobbiton, he notes, “ is assumed to be approx at latitude of Oxford”; Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The notebooks reveal that Hobbiton is on the same latitude as Oxford, and imply that the Italian city of Ravenna could be the inspiration behind Minas Tirith. Photograph: Blackwell’s Rare Books The novelist also uses Belgrade, Cyprus, and Jerusalem as other reference points, and according to Blackwell’s suggests that “the city of Ravenna is the inspiration behind Minas Tirith - a key location in the third book of the Lord of The Rings trilogy”. “The map shows how completely obsessed he was with the details. Anyone else interfered at their peril,” said Sian Wainwright at Blackwell’s. “He was tricky to work with, but very rewarding in the end.” Correspondence between Tolkien and the late and acclaimed illustrator Baynes, who also worked on books for CS Lewis, as well as Baynes’s unpublished diary entries, gives further details about the sometimes thorny relationship between the two. On 21 August 1969, Baynes describes a visit to Tolkien and his wife in Bournemouth, “to chat about a poster map I have to do – he very uncooperative”. The author later apologies for having “been so dilatory”, and a later lunch sees the author “in great form – first names and kissing all round – and pleased with the map”. Henry Gott, modern first editions specialist at Blackwell’s Rare Books, said the map was “an exciting and important discovery: new to scholarship (though its existence is implied by correspondence between the two), it demonstrates the care exercised by both in their mapping of Tolkien’s creative vision”. “Before going on display in the shop this week, this had only ever been in private hands (Pauline Baynes’s for the majority of its existence). One of the points of interest is how much of a hand Tolkien had in the poster map; all of his suggestions, and there are many (the majority of the annotation on the map is his), are reflected in Baynes’s version,” said Gott. “The degree to which it is properly collaborative was not previously apparent, and couldn’t be without a document like this. Its importance is mostly to do with the insight it gives into that process.” Blackwell’s is selling a range of works by Baynes, who died in 2008, aged 85, including a range of her original signed drawings from the Narnia books. \|\|\|\|\| --- A map of Middle-earth annotated by JRR Tolkien himself has been discovered in a copy of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's comments, in green ink and pencil, show that Hobbiton is on the same latitude as Oxford, and the Italian city of Ravenna was the inspiration for the fortress city of Minas Tirith. He also references Belgrade, Cyprus, and Jerusalem as influences on how Middle-earth was supposed to look. The map was found loose in a copy of the books owned by illustrator Pauline Baynes, who worked on several of Tolkien's books, as well as CS Lewis' Tales of Narnia. A specialist at Blackwell's Rare Books in Oxford discovered Baynes had removed the map from another edition as she was working on her own version of Middle-earth for a 1970 edition of the trilogy. Tolkien's loving attention to detail is apparent in the annotations, as he worked with Baynes to bring his creative vision to life. In dozens of notes he gives her suggestions for flora and fauna, extra place names and corrects mistakes. The shop called it “an important document" which shows for the first time just how collaborative the duo's working process was. According to Blackwell's the map is "the finest piece of Tolkien ephemera to emerge in the last 20 years at least”. The map is currently being exhibited in Blackwell's and the shop plans to sell it later this month for £60,000. More: City maps reimagined in style of JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings	– A one-of-a-kind map of Middle-earth filled with JRR Tolkien's own green ink and penciled notes has been found in renowned illustrator Pauline Baynes' copy of The Lord of the Rings. Baynes appears to have removed the map from an earlier edition as she began to work on a color map for a 1970 Allen & Unwin edition, reports the Independent. The map reveals the extent of the collaboration between the two, who had a sometimes rocky but ultimately thriving working relationship, and illustrates several reference points, including that Tolkien may have based Minas Tirith on the Italian city of Ravenna, put Hobbiton on the same latitude as Oxford, and used Belgrade, Cyprus, and Jerusalem for inspiration as well. The map is "an exciting and important discovery" that "demonstrates the care exercised by both in their mapping of Tolkien's creative vision," a specialist with Blackwell's Rare Books tells the Guardian. Blackwell's says it plans to sell "perhaps the finest piece of Tolkien ephemera to emerge in the last 20 years at least" for about $92,000. "The map shows how completely obsessed he was with the details," another expert with Blackwell's adds. "Anyone else interfered at their peril. He was tricky to work with, but very rewarding in the end." The notes from Tolkien, then a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University, include correcting place names, adding new ones, and suggesting flora and fauna. Baynes, who died in 2008 at the age of 85, also illustrated CS Lewis' Tales of Narnia. (Check out what Tolkien did to Beowulf.)
Image copyright AFP Image caption Rebel leader Denis Pushilin said Ukraine's presidential elections would not take place in Donetsk A Ukrainian separatist leader is calling on Russia to "absorb" the eastern region of Donetsk after Sunday's referendum on self-rule. Self-declared Donetsk People's Republic leader Denis Pushilin urged Moscow to listen to the "will of the people". In neighbouring Luhansk, where a vote was also held, rebels declared independence. Ukraine, the EU and US have declared the referendums illegal but Russia says the results should be "implemented". Moscow has so far not commented on the call for Donetsk to become part of Russia but has appealed for dialogue between the militants and Kiev, with the participation of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Analysis What is President Putin's end game? Today's Kremlin statement on the referendums provides few clues. It is brief, calls for "dialogue" and peaceful "implementation" of the results of the vote. I would argue Moscow's objectives are clear: to retain influence in at least part of Ukraine, to ensure that not all of Ukraine embraces the European Union or - Russia's biggest nightmare - Nato. On Russian TV today, a prominent pro-Russia Ukrainian called on parts of eastern and southern Ukraine to form an independent state called Novorossiya (New Russia). Such a 'state' would inevitably be loyal to Moscow. So, is Novorossiya part of the Kremlin's long-term plan to retain influence in a large part of Ukraine? Or does Moscow's shorter-term strategy have more to do with derailing the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine? With less than two weeks to go before those elections, if it does have a plan, the Kremlin may soon reveal it. Putin's next move? Russia annexed Ukraine's southern autonomous republic of Crimea after a disputed referendum in March and Kiev now fears its intentions in Donetsk, Luhansk and parts of southern Ukraine. Nato believes some 40,000 Russian troops are deployed near Ukraine's border, although Moscow says they have been pulled back. 'Appropriate step' Separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk say 89% and 96% respectively voted in favour of "self-rule" in the referendums, held a fortnight before Ukraine's presidential elections. Ukraine's acting President Olexander Turchynov said the turnout for the referendum was much lower than the figure of 75% claimed by the rebels. "According to the Interior Ministry... about 24% of people eligible to vote took part in the so-called referendum the Luhansk Region and slightly over 32% in the Donetsk Region," he said. But Mr Pushilin said the 25 May vote would not happen in Donetsk because it was now "independent". He added that he was not calling for Russian military intervention but that peacekeepers may be needed. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Olexander Turchynov said the referendums were "nothing more than propaganda" The region would switch to the Russian currency, the rouble, he said. Earlier the head of the rebel Donetsk election commission, Roman Lyagin, said joining Russia "would probably be an appropriate step". Vasily Nikitin, a spokesman for rebels in the Luhansk region, said the Ukrainian presidential election would not be allowed to take place there after "independence". Eastern Ukraine referendum Votes in separatist-controlled cities and towns of Donetsk and Luhansk regions Some 3,000,000 ballot papers ask: "Do you support the Act of State Self-rule of the Donetsk/Luhansk People's Republic?" Second round on joining Russia planned for 18 May Vote deemed illegal by Kiev government and international community Latest from BBC reporters In pictures: Eastern Ukraine vote "The people of Luhansk Region declare the creation of a sovereign state - the Luhansk people's republic" said a statement released by rebels. Travel bans Mr Lyagin is one of 13 individuals on a new EU sanctions list for "undermining or threatening" Ukraine's sovereignty. Those singled out include Russian President Vladimir Putin's first deputy chief of staff, Vyacheslav Volodin, the self-declared mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, as well as two Crimean companies. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to visit Kiev on Tuesday in an attempt to mediate between the sides and might travel on to eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin criticised Brussels' new sanctions, saying the EU had "undermined trust in itself as a partner and cast doubt on its claim to an objective role in supporting a resolution of Ukraine's internal conflict" It also denounced what it claimed had been "attempts to disrupt the votes, with the use of force, including the use of heavy weapons, against civilians". Image copyright Reuters Image caption Organisers in Donetsk announced the results of Sunday's referendum hours after the voting ended Image copyright Reuters Image caption Ukrainian government soldiers are involved in what Kiev says is an ongoing "anti-terror" operation in the east The Russian authorities said they expected the results of the vote to be implemented in a civilised manner, without any repetition of violence and called for dialogue between Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk. Earlier, Ukraine's acting president told Ukraine's parliament that "the farce that terrorist separatists call a referendum is nothing more than propaganda to cover up murders, kidnappings, violence and other serious crimes". Rinat Akhmetov, one of Ukraine's wealthiest businessmen, said he was convinced that the Donetsk and Luhansk regions would "only be happy in a united Ukraine". A number of towns in the two eastern regions refused to hold the referendums. Image copyright BC Are you in Donetsk or Luhansk region, or elsewhere in Ukraine? What do you think of the "self-rule" referendums? Send us your thoughts by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Ukraine". \|\|\|\|\| The United States, many European nations and the government in Kiev all condemned the referendums, saying they were illegal and likely to worsen the violence in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian groups and the central government. Even President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who has generally supported the separatists, publicly distanced himself from the referendums last week, saying they should be delayed. The separatists still went ahead. Video In one town, Ukrainian security forces shot a man to death outside a polling station as an angry crowd, ignoring warning shots, rushed toward a building that the soldiers controlled. In some other cities, voters took ballots that were run off on photocopiers and stuffed them into cardboard boxes that the organizers spirited off quickly, lest they be seized by pro-government forces. By contrast, the atmosphere at polling places in Donetsk city, the capital of the province, was carnival-like, with balloons decorating the entrances and loudspeakers playing Soviet-era songs. Families with children in tow stood in long lines waiting to vote. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Many people who cast ballots said they hoped the election would solidify the self-styled independent republics in Donetsk and Luhansk enough to tamp down the violence in the region. Roman Agrisov, a 40-year-old steelworker, said he wanted his vote to signal to the central government to pull its troops out of eastern Ukraine. “I am voting because I don’t want war,” he said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story But the voting could just as easily escalate the low-level fighting into a civil war between Russian-backed breakaway regions and Kiev. The interim central government and many leaders in the West have said that the separatists in eastern Ukraine were proxies for the Russian intelligence services, and were trying to destabilize the country after mass protests drove Ukraine’s former pro-Russian leader from power. Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a Ukrainian presidential candidate, said that Russian meddling in the east was splintering Ukraine into a “Yugoslavia scenario.” BELARUS 100 Miles POLAND RUSSIA Kiev Dnieper River Lviv UKRAINE Slovyansk Donetsk MOLDOVA ROMANIA CRIMEA Black Sea Advertisement Continue reading the main story Separatist groups in eastern Ukraine appeared unfazed by the international condemnation of the voting, which many outsiders said could not possibly be free and fair, given the turmoil enveloping the region. The provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk are predominantly Russian-speaking rather than Ukrainian-speaking, and in past elections they have tended to back pro-Russian politicians. But that does not mean that most people there want to secede from Ukraine. A poll by the Pew Research Center released this month indicated that 70 percent of respondents in eastern Ukraine favored keeping the country united, while only 18 percent favored secession; the remainder were undecided. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The referendums demonstrated that there was substantial popular support for the pro-Russian separatists in some areas. But it offered no reliable gauge of the breadth of that support. It was not clear whether long voting lines had formed because few polling places were open, or because turnout was running high. At a half-dozen polling places visited by reporters, except for those in Slovyansk, there were no voting rolls to consult; anyone who could show a local address in official identity papers was allowed to cast a ballot. Tatyana Us, a volunteer election official, referred to the practice as “open list” voting. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Beyond the provincial capital, the semblance of a normal election frayed, marking a contrast with the secessionist referendum held in Crimea in March. That voting was conducted plausibly and calmly across the province, though its results, too, were not recognized in Kiev or in the West. Ukraine Crisis in Maps A visual survey of the continuing dispute with maps showing political, cultural and economic factors in the crisis. Dolina Krasnyi Lyman Khrestyshche Slovyansk Bylbasovka Bridge taken Andreyevka Malynivka Kramatorsk Airport 10 MILES In the town of Krasnoarmiysk, voters filed past a table on Sunday to pick up a ballot and a sausage sandwich. Crude secessionist propaganda posters hung near the polling station, touching dark themes of xenophobia and anti-Semitism. One depicted the current president, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, as a goat-like figure and asked, “Do you want Satan as your president?” Another said Ukrainians should reject the “European Jewish choice.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Galina Kuznetsov, an election volunteer, said she was pleased with the way things were going, because “you don’t see one person here with a bottle of beer — everybody is sober.” But in the afternoon, a Ukrainian national guard unit known as the Dnepr Brigade appeared and broke up the voting. Organizers grabbed the boxes of cast ballots and ran, presumably intending to count them later, and the soldiers took up positions in the City Hall building where a secessionist polling station had been operating on the steps. With the cardboard and cloth remains of a polling stand littering the ground, the armed men demonstratively cocked their rifles, sometimes leveling them. When a man from the crowd approached the building to block another group of soldiers from entering, he was shot and killed. Shots were fired in another confrontation in the Luhansk region, the Interfax news agency reported. Ukrainian soldiers there fired into a crowd that was blocking national guard armored vehicles near the village of Baranikovka, the agency said; two people were wounded. Photo Advertisement Continue reading the main story In Dobropole, a pro-Ukrainian group staged a counter-referendum, calling for the town to secede from Donetsk Province and join a neighboring province to the west that would remain part of Ukraine. It set up a polling station across a dusty and potholed street from the secessionists, with knots of men guarding each side. The town seemed primed for violence. Despite their slapdash nature, the referendums in the east risked escalating the smoldering conflict in Ukraine by entrenching the political wings of pro-Russian militant groups, giving them a chance to claim at least the semblance of a popular mandate, while facing the authorities in Kiev with the awkward problem of appearing to defy voters. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Sergiy Pashinskiy, the acting chief of staff for Ukraine’s presidential administration, denounced the voting on Sunday. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “The so-called referendum in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions is an attempt by the terrorists to cover up their crimes,” Mr. Pashinskiy said. “In fact, there is no referendum taking place.” He said there was voting going on only in about one-third of the region, and that the organizers of the separatist balloting would be prosecuted. Advertisement Continue reading the main story After weeks of unrest in the east, pro-Russian groups occupy administrative buildings in about a dozen towns, control some highways and have full control over one midsize city, Slovyansk. The voting there was orderly on Sunday, with crowds at some polling places in the morning. But the turnout seemed to thin by early afternoon, and with only a few hours of balloting left, the lists of those who had voted suggested that the turnout in the city was relatively light, perhaps 30 percent of residents or less. Government security forces occupy positions around the city, and there was an outbreak of fighting on the outskirts overnight before the voting, beginning with a series of explosions, followed by gunfire over the course of about an hour. It was not clear what had been attacked. Late Sunday, separatist leaders in Donetsk reported that the ballot on “self-rule” had gone in their favor, with almost 90 percent of the vote, and that 75 percent of the region’s eligible voters had gone to the polls. For the province as a whole, another organizer was quoted as saying, “on average, from every 1,000 ballots, only one is against.” A State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said the United States would not recognize the results of the referendums, whatever they were. She said they were “illegal under Ukrainian law, and are an attempt to create further division and disorder.” \|\|\|\|\| Russia has said it "respects" the results of independence referendums in eastern Ukraine, but has called for dialogue between the government in Kiev and the south-east regions of the country, suggesting that a Crimea-style annexation of the region for Moscow is not on the cards. According to preliminary results announced by the de facto authorities in Donetsk and Luhansk, about 90 and 96% respectively voted for state sovereignty on Sunday. The referendums – which Kiev has dismissed as illegitimate – were hastily organised and marked by numerous violations. Nevertheless, there has been an increasing mood of defiance in the region, especially as a Ukrainian army operation against the armed separatists has resulted in multiple casualties. It is hard to judge how many people support the armed takeover of government buildings and attempts to separate from Ukraine, but feelings are running high. "In Moscow, we respect the will of the people of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and are counting on practical implementation of the outcome of the referendum in a civilised manner, without any repeat of violence and through dialogue," the Kremlin said in a statement. In a press conference in Moscow on Monday, the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, read out the Kremlin statement on Ukraine and added that only Russian channels were telling "the truth in real time" about the crisis, whereas western news outlets were hiding the real causes. Lavrov made no mention of the controversy surrounding the referendum, merely noting the "high voting activity" of the population despite attempts from Kiev to disrupt the vote. He said no new international talks were planned on Ukraine. The referendum question was worded ambiguously, appearing to offer state sovereignty for the Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics". Roman Lyagin, head of the de facto central election committee in Donetsk, said nothing would change in terms of state borders as a result of the vote. However, he said that in future the region would be free to decide whether to stay within Ukraine, become independent or join Russia. The eastern regions are entering an uncertain situation, with tension and anger running high on both sides. Ukrainian army and affiliated paramilitary units killed unarmed civilians in Mariupol last week and in Krasnoarmeisk during the voting on Sunday. For their part, the rebels in Donetsk have taken hostages among pro-Ukraine activists and been accused of torture. It is unclear whether either side is ready for talks. Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, said on Monday: "The farce which terrorists call the referendum will have no legal consequences except the criminal responsibility for its organisers."	– In the wake of eastern Ukraine's vote on independence yesterday, one word is showing up repeatedly in media reports: unclear. The referendum organizers' preliminary results show those who cast a ballot overwhelmingly voted in favor of sovereignty for Donetsk and Luhansk, but beyond that much is uncertain—and even those results are fraught with issues. The aftermath: Russia says it respects "the will of the people." But it's calling for "dialogue" between Kiev and the eastern regions, and the Guardian takes that to mean annexation is unlikely. Russia said it is "counting on practical implementation of the outcome of the referendum in a civilized manner, without any repeat of violence." The head of Donetsk's vote organizers says the referendum itself won't change any borders, but the region will have the power to decide on its future. The New York Times, however, reports that "voting took place in such a raw state of lawlessness" (and violence) that only organizers and Russian supporters seem likely to see the polls as "a democratic expression of the voters' will." The Times also notes that those who would have voted "nay" seemed to have steered clear of the polls. Ukraine's interim President Oleksandr Turchinov slammed "the farce that terrorist separatists call a referendum" as "nothing more than propaganda to cover up murders, kidnappings, violence, and other serious crimes," the BBC reports. The EU and US have called the referendum illegitimate.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The governor has called on creditors to postpone bond payments and restructure the U.S. territory's $72 billion in public debt as the government closes out its fiscal year Tuesday amid growing uncertainty about the island's economy. The U.S. and Puerto Rico flags wave in front of the governor’s mansion in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 29, 2015. International economists released a critical report on Puerto Rico's economy... (Associated Press) A woman walks in front of a closed down bank in the neighborhood of Rio Piedras in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 29, 2015. The bills on the closed bank doors read in Spanish "No to the value added... (Associated Press) A man in a local bar watches Puerto Rico’s governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla on television delivering an address on the state of the island's finances, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 29, 2015.... (Associated Press) A man drinks a beer in a local bar as he watches Puerto Rico’s governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla on television delivering an address on the state of the island's finances, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday,... (Associated Press) FILE- In this April 30, 2015, file photo, Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla delivers his budget address for the next fiscal year at the Capitol building in San Juan. Puerto Rico's governor believes... (Associated Press) A man plays his guitar while he begs for money in front of a closed down business in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 29, 2015. International economists released a critical report on Puerto Rico's... (Associated Press) A man stands in front of a jewelry store in the neighborhood of Rio Piedras in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 29, 2015. The jewelry itself is surrounded by closed down businesses. International economists... (Associated Press) Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said Monday night that he will start meeting this week with legislators of all political parties as well as religious leaders and business owners to talk about how best to solve the financial crisis, which has drawn comparisons to the debt crunch that has hit Greece. "I will ask everyone for sacrifices," Garcia said in a televised address without providing details. "If we don't assume that responsibility today, we risk not having solutions within reach or, even worse, losing control over them, giving the power of decision to others." Garcia said he wants a debt repayment moratorium of several years although he didn't give a precise time frame. Bondholders have yet to comment, and it's unknown what options Puerto Rico will have if they reject the proposal. The island's government cannot file for bankruptcy under current U.S. rules, nor can its public agencies. Garcia's administration has pushing for the right of Puerto Rico's public agencies to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 9, and the White House urged Congress on Monday to consider changing the law to allow for that. The White House, however, said no one was contemplating a federal bailout of Puerto Rico. Garcia's team has until Aug. 30 to develop an economic and financial reform plan, which would require approval by the territory's legislature. Legislators are currently debating a $9.8 billion government budget that calls for $674 million in cuts and sets aside $1.5 billion to help pay down the debt. The budget has to be approved by Tuesday. Garcia went on TV just hours after international economists hired by his administration released a report painting a grim picture of the government's financial bind and of Puerto Rico's economy, which has been in recession for nearly nine years. Their report said structural reforms, fiscal adjustment and debt restructuring is needed quickly. "Unless a comprehensive approach is taken, the inevitable will happen and be far more damaging to the people of Puerto Rico," warned Anne Krueger, a former World Bank chief economist who worked on the report and presented the findings to dozens of government officials. The economists praised Garcia's administration for taking action on higher taxes, pension reforms, spending cuts and freezes, but they also said revenue projections systematically exceed collections. They added that government policy failures have hurt Puerto Rico's economy. "Growth has not just been low, but output has actually been contracting for almost a decade now, which is remarkable for an economy suffering neither civil strife nor overt financial crisis," the report said. Some opposition legislators remain resistant to Garcia's plan, accusing him of not including them in the debate. Rep. Jose Aponte told reporters the proposed measures are futile. "It's deceased, and they're taking it to the doctor to revive it," he said of the economy. Sergio Marxuach, policy director at the Puerto Rico-based consulting group Center for the New Economy, drew parallels between the economic problems in Greece and Puerto Rico. "If we look at how the government operates, the lack of transparency of public finances, the bad quality of statistics, the massive tax evasion, the government corruption ... it's the same in Greece like in Puerto Rico," he said. "When it comes to the magnitude of the crisis, obviously Greece is at a much more complicated and deeper level ... and I hope we don't end up there." The Greek government just shuttered banks for six business days and imposed restrictions on cash withdrawals. Greece's five-year financial crisis has sparked questions about its continued membership in the 19-nation shared euro currency and the European Union. Puerto Rico's power company faces a Wednesday deadline for a roughly $400 million debt payment that it will likely default on, according to Moody's. The power company owes some $9 billion and faces a restructuring as the government continues to negotiate with creditors. Businesses and consumers are bracing for an increase in taxes aimed at generating more revenue. A new sales tax of 11.5 percent, the highest compared with any U.S. state, goes into effect Wednesday and a new services tax begins Oct. 1, to be followed by a transition to a value-added tax by April 1. ___ Associated Press writer Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Danica Coto on Twitter: www.twitter.com/danicacoto \|\|\|\|\| The Obama administration is not considering a federal bailout of Puerto Rico to help it emerge from a crippling debt crisis, a White House spokesman said Monday. ADVERTISEMENT “There is no one in the administration or in D.C. federal government that’s contemplating a federal bailout of Puerto Rico,” press secretary Josh Earnest said. Puerto Rico’s governor declared over the weekend that the island could not repay more than $70 billion in debt, a situation that could spook financial markets at a time when Greece is also facing a severe debt crisis. Earnest said the administration is committed to working with Puerto Rican officials to resolve the crisis. The federal government’s assistance to Puerto Rico will be similar to what it offered to Detroit, Earnest said, consisting of advice from a panel of administration officials and experts. Detroit declared Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 2013, which helped it emerge from its own financial crisis. Earnest also said Congress should consider giving Puerto Rico the ability to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy to restructure its debt and allow creditors to recoup some of their investments. --This report was updated at 2:12 p.m. \|\|\|\|\| The declaration by Puerto Rico’s governor that the island’s $72 billion in debt is “not payable” was not only a warning to its creditors. It was also aimed at leaders in Washington, who perhaps more than anyone could determine whether Puerto Rico’s finances can be stabilized or will slide into chaos. But the federal response was relatively reserved on Monday. The White House made it clear that Puerto Rico would not receive a “federal bailout” but expressed some support for an effort to allow the island’s public corporations to use federal bankruptcy protections. As a United States commonwealth, Puerto Rico is not allowed to authorize bankruptcy, which means that impairing its debts could prove practically impossible. But the push in Congress for Chapter 9 faces stiff opposition from many Republicans, particularly conservatives, who say that allowing Puerto Rico to restructure its debts in bankruptcy would amount to a free pass for decades of fiscal mismanagement by local government officials. The debate could have significant ramifications for the 2016 presidential elections, particularly in the critical battleground state of Florida, which has a growing population of people who have left Puerto Rico. Many of these residents departed because of the declining economy but still have families there and stay engaged in local politics.	– Puerto Rico can't pay its debts, and the federal government has made it clear that it's not going to shell out $72 billion to cover them. "There is no one in the administration or in DC federal government that's contemplating a federal bailout of Puerto Rico," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said yesterday, per the Hill. But the White House says it may support allowing the island's public corporations to file for bankruptcy, reports the New York Times, which notes that Congress would have to back such a move for the US commonwealth, and that many Republicans are opposed to giving a "free pass" to officials who let the island's finances slide into such a perilous state. In a televised address yesterday, Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla called for debt restructuring and postponed payments, the AP reports. The same day, economists released a report offering a very bleak assessment of the island's economy. "Growth has not just been low, but output has actually been contracting for almost a decade now, which is remarkable for an economy suffering neither civil strife nor overt financial crisis," they wrote. Puerto Ricans can't vote in presidential elections, but the crisis could still become a major issue in 2016 because there are millions of emigrants and people of Puerto Rican descent living in the US, and their political power is rising in Florida, the Times notes.
CLOSE A married high school art teacher has been arrested after being accused of having sex with four of her students. Buzz60 Jessie Lorene Goline. (Photo: Craighead County Sheriff's Department and Detention Center) An Arkansas teacher allegedly had sex with four students, two on the same day, according to a court filing. Jessie Lorene Goline, an art teacher at Marked Tree High School in northeast Arkansas, allegedly had sexual relationships with four students, three who attended Marked Tree School District and one from East Poinsett County School District, according to an affidavit obtained by Arkansas Online. Goline, 25, was arrested Wednesday on charges of first-degree sexual assault, Arkansas State Police said. One student was younger than 18 at the time, Arkansas Online reported. More: Mississippi teacher fired after racist Facebook post. She says she was hacked More: Teacher requests students use gender-neutral pronouns; parents divided More: Jerry Sandusky's son pleads guilty to sex abuse charges On one of the occasions between January and April 2016, Goline drove a student to her apartment, where they had sex before going back to school. Later that day, Goline brought another student to her apartment, where they had sex, Arkansas Online reported. Matt Wright, superintendent of Marked Tree School District, said Goline, who is married, admitted she had sex with students to her principal on April 26. That day, the school called police and banned her from school property, Wright said in a statement. The school also reported her alleged behavior to an ethics division of the Arkansas Department of Education. Goline was formally fired on June 19. The statement said revealing photos of Goline were also found on a student's phone. "Throughout the process of dealing with Ms. Goline, the district has been focused first on the safety of our students," Wright said. "We did not and will not tolerate behavior such as this. We take the privilege of serving Marked Tree students seriously and are pleased that our procedures of immediate removal and reporting helped move this incident toward final resolution and justice." Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2ygItJh \|\|\|\|\| The first text that art teacher Jessie Goline allegedly sent her student was about class. Then they started texting more frequently and soon their messages were no longer class-related, according to an affidavit filed in the circuit court of Craighead County, Ark. Sometime early last year, Goline picked up the student — who was not yet 18 — from the small city in northeast Arkansas where she was his teacher and drove him to her home about 45 minutes away in Jonesboro. There, Arkansas State police say, they had sex. The same night, in the same apartment, Goline, 25, allegedly also had sex twice with another student. Goline was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault. Police say that between January 2016 and April 2016, the former teacher had sex with four students from two school districts. One was allegedly dropped off at her apartment by a friend. Another told investigators that Goline commented on “how good he looked” in class and texted him a picture of herself wearing a thong, according to court documents. She will be charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault because only one of the students was not 18 when they had sex, prosecuting attorney Scott Ellington said. [She chose to die so she could give birth. Now her newborn is dead, too.] He believes news of the illicit affairs began to circulate when students started telling others. Jessie Goline. (Craighead County Sheriff’s Office) “Boys brag,” Ellington said. Goline would confess to the improper contact in April at Marked Tree High School, according to the affidavit. Barbara Wilburn, the men’s basketball coach at a high school in northeast Arkansas, had heard a parent intended to cause “bodily harm” to a teacher who allegedly had sex with multiple students, according to the affidavit. Wilburn went to the principal, who rushed to alert the superintendent. As Wilburn and the principal were filing the report, Goline herself burst into the principal’s office. She was crying. When the principal, Matt Wright, asked Goline what was wrong, she shook her head. “No, no,” she said, according to the affidavit. Wright pressed Goline, asking her whether there was something she needed to tell him. “I’m not going to lose my husband,” she tearfully responded. Goline allegedly told the principal and coach that she had sex with four students — three from the Marked Tree School District and another from the nearby East Poinsett County High School. Officials at both school districts did not immediately respond to requests for comment. [The man whose biblical doomsday claim has some nervously eyeing Sept. 23] The principal contacted police, who arrived at the school and read Goline her rights before taking her to jail. Goline’s case, which was originally taken on by the Marked Tree Police Department, is now being investigated by the Arkansas State Police because the reported crime was committed in Jonesboro, rather than Marked Tree, Ellington said. The former teacher was placed on administrative leave in May, according to WREG-TV. It was not immediately clear whether Goline has an attorney in the case. The Craighead County Detention Center booked and released Goline on Wednesday, according to local TV station KAIT. She is awaiting an Oct. 31 appearance in circuit court. If convicted of the Class A felony, she could be sentenced to six to 30 years in prison. Ellington said his office decided not to press charges on behalf of the three boys who were 18 or older because the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that there is a fundamental right to privacy that protects all private, consensual, noncommercial acts of sexual intimacy between two adults. A state statute that criminalized a teacher’s consensual relationship with a student under the age of 21 was unconstitutional, the court found. Ellington said he was not particularly surprised by Goline’s case. He said he could remember seven cases in the past 10 years where women had sexual relationships with students or underage men. “For some reason, it seems to be kind of an epidemic among mid-20s to late-30s females that are getting in this cycles with these young men,” he said. A previous version of this post incorrectly stated the sentencing guidelines for a Class A felony in Arkansas. It has been corrected and updated. Read more: [An alert airline passenger exposed a suspected child sex predator after glancing at his text messages] [More teachers are having sex with their students. Here’s how schools can stop them.] \|\|\|\|\| A former art teacher at a northeast Arkansas high school is accused of having inappropriate relationships with four students and reportedly took two to her apartment for sex on the same day. Jessie Lorene Goline, 25, of Jonesboro faces one count of first-degree sexual assault, according to a filing in Craighead County Circuit Court. Jail records show she was arrested Wednesday. Prosecutors, citing Paschal v. State 2012 Ark. 127, said the single charge was filed because only one of the students was under the age of 18 at the time. Goline admitted to school officials that she had inappropriate sexual relationships with four students. She believed one was 18 at the time but later found him to be “way younger than what he had told her,” the affidavit states. The reported acts happened between January and April of 2016, authorities said. The students — three from the Marked Tree School District and another from the East Poinsett County School District — said that they had texted Goline and that their conversations became more sexual over time. One student was dropped off by a friend at Goline’s residence in Jonesboro, where the two had sexual intercourse, he said. Another student, enrolled in Goline’s class, said the teacher picked him up one afternoon and took him to her apartment, where they had sex before she took him back home to Marked Tree later in the day. Authorities said they learned that Goline had sex that same day with another student she had taken to her apartment. The fourth victim was interviewed at Marked Tree High School and told an investigator that Goline commented on “how good he looked in class.” The teacher also reportedly sent the student a photo of herself wearing thong underwear. An investigation began in April when Marked Tree High School officials learned that a concerned parent had threatened to “do bodily harm to one of their teachers.” The parent had accused Goline of having sex with multiple students. While school officials were trying to report the accusations to a hotline, Goline came into an administrative office and started crying, prompting the high school’s principal, Matt Wright, to ask what was wrong. Goline reportedly only shook her head and replied “no, no” several times. Records show Goline was released at 3:04 p.m. Wednesday from the Craighead County jail after being booked there at 1:50 p.m. \|\|\|\|\| Arkansas State Police say a former Marked Tree teacher brought several students to her home in Jonesboro for sex, including two in the same night. Jessie Lorene Goline, 25, appeared in person Wednesday afternoon before Craighead County District Judge Tommy Fowler who found probable cause to charge her with first-degree sexual assault. Goline, who taught art at Marked Tree High School until her dismissal, is accused of having sexual intercourse with four different students. The court documents stated that she began by sending texts to the students “which became more and more sexual in nature.” One of the victims said he was in Jonesboro visiting a friend when Goline sent him a text with her address and inviting him to come over. The boy said his friend dropped him off at her residence and they had sexual intercourse. In another instance, a victim said Goline picked him up in Marked Tree and drove him to her apartment in Jonesboro where they had sexual intercourse twice. The victim said yet another student was at Goline’s apartment that same night. He told the ASP investigator that Goline wanted to wait until the next morning to take them back to Marked Tree, but he persuaded her to bring them back sooner. Yet another victim said Goline sent him sexually explicit text messages, including a photo of herself in a thong. He said Goline “texted him that she would like to have sex with him but he was too young.” The affidavit stated the acts occurred between the months of January and April. Marked Tree police began investigating Goline in April when a parent threatened to come to the school and “do bodily harm” to her. The parent also reportedly said Goline was having sex with multiple students. After notifying the superintendent, the school’s principal was in the process of notifying the Arkansas Crimes Against Children hotline when Goline came into the office and started crying, the affidavit said. Principal Matt Wright asked if there was anything she needed to tell him, to which Goline replied, “I’m not going to lose my husband.” When Wright asked if she had done anything inappropriate with the students, the court documents allege she answered in the affirmative and said, “We had sex.” Wright contacted the Marked Tree Police Department. After learning that the alleged acts had taken place in Craighead County rather than Poinsett County, District Attorney Scott Ellington requested the Arkansas State Police to conduct an investigation. Goline was booked into the Craighead County Detention Center at 1:50 p.m. on a $5,000 cash/surety bond awaiting an Oct. 31 appearance in circuit court. She was released from custody at 3:04 p.m., according to the sheriff's office. If convicted of the Class A felony, she could be sentenced to 10 to 40 years or life in prison. Region 8 News will have more information as details emerge. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for up to the minute updates. Copyright 2017 KAIT. All rights reserved. Watch Region 8 News On Demand: On your Desktop \| On your Mobile device Region 8 News App - Install or update on your: iPhone \| Android	– Arkansas police say a 25-year-old high school teacher had sex with four students in two school districts between January and April 2016, including one boy in her class who was underage. How this came to light: "Boys brag," prosecutor Scott Ellington tells the Washington Post. According to court documents, art teacher Jessie Goline began texting the students about class before their conversations "became more and more sexual," per KAIT. Police say on one occasion Goline had sex with one student at her home in Jonesboro and allegedly had sex with another student that same night in the same location. Only in April, when a fellow teacher overheard a parent threatening "bodily harm" against Goline, did the school reportedly become aware. KAIT reports the principal was in the midst of alerting the Arkansas Crimes Against Children hotline when a crying Goline entered his office. "I'm not going to lose my husband," she reportedly said. Arkansas Online reports she admitted to having sex with four students, three from Marked Tree School District and one from East Poinsett County School District. One said Goline texted that "she would like to have sex with him but he was too young," and sent him a photo of her wearing a thong, according to court documents. USA Today reports Goline was subsequently fired, and she was charged Wednesday with one count of first-degree sexual assault relating to her alleged relations with the underage teen. She has an Oct. 31 court date.
California is in the throes of a whooping cough epidemic, state health department officials announced Friday. Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health, said 3,458 cases of whooping cough have been reported since Jan. 1 -- including 800 in the past two weeks. That total is more than all the cases reported in 2013. "Preventing severe disease and death in infants is our highest priority," Chapman said in a statement. "We urge all pregnant women to get vaccinated. We also urge parents to vaccinate infants as soon as possible." Whooping cough, or pertussis, is cyclical and peaks every three to five years. The last peak in California occurred in 2010, when a total of 9,159 cases were reported. Chapman said it is likely another peak is underway. Health department officials say infants too young to be fully immunized remain most vulnerable to severe and fatal cases of pertussis. Two-thirds of pertussis hospitalizations have been in children four months or younger. Two infant deaths have been reported. The Tdap vaccination for pregnant women is the best way to protect infants who are too young to be vaccinated, health officials say. All pregnant women should be vaccinated with Tdap in the third trimester of each pregnancy, regardless of previous Tdap vaccination. In addition, infants should be vaccinated as soon as possible. The first dose of pertussis vaccine can be given as early as 6 weeks of age. Advertisement Older children, pre-adolescents, and adults also should also be vaccinated against pertussis according to current recommendations. It is particularly important that persons who will be around newborns also be vaccinated. "Unlike some other vaccine-preventable diseases, like measles, neither vaccination nor illness from pertussis offers lifetime immunity," said Chapman. "However, vaccination is still the best defense against this potentially fatal disease." Symptoms of pertussis vary by age. For children, a typical case of pertussis starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks. The cough then worsens and children may have rapid coughing spells that end with a "whooping" sound. Young infants may not have typical pertussis symptoms and may have no apparent cough. Parents may describe episodes in which the infant's face turns red or purple. For adults, pertussis may simply be a cough that persists for several weeks. Contact Tracy Seipel at 408-920-5343. Follow her at Twitter.com/taseipel. \|\|\|\|\| Story highlights California handles 800 cases of whooping cough in two weeks Health department: This is a problem of 'epidemic proportions" Whooping cough, or pertussis, is highly contagious California is being hit hard with a whooping cough epidemic, according to the state's public health department , with 800 cases reported in the past two weeks alone. The agency says that there were 3,458 whooping cough cases reported between January 1 and June 10, well ahead of the number of cases reported for all of 2013. This is a problem of "epidemic proportions," the department said. And the number of actual cases may be even higher, because past studies have shown that for every case of whooping cough that is reported, there are 10 more that are not officially counted. Whooping cough , known to doctors as pertussis , is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by a bacterium known as Bordetella pertussis. The popular name for the disease comes from the whooping sound an infected person makes when gasping for breath after a coughing fit. The bacteria spreads through coughing and sneezing. One person can infect up to 15 people nearby, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Typically symptoms appear an average of seven to 10 days after exposure. Infants and young children are more vulnerable to the disease than other age groups. It can be particularly dangerous for babies. About half of the infants who get whooping cough end up in a hospital. Some cases are fatal. That's why the public health department in California is strongly urging people to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, especially if they're pregnant. State health officials are working closely with schools and local health departments to spread the word. "Unlike some other vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, neither vaccination nor illness from pertussis offers lifetime immunity," Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. "However, vaccination is still the best defense against the potentially fatal diseases." All adults should get a Tdap booster, unless you had one as a teenager (after age 11). Nationally, more than 90% of children get the first three doses of the vaccine, but far fewer get the booster. California has historically had higher vaccination rates than other states, but a recent study found large clusters of parents who did not vaccinate their children close to areas with a large number of whooping cough cases during the 2010 California outbreak The current outbreak is too new for scientists to know if there is a similar pattern. Whooping cough cases have spread rapidly in the United States this year, with a 24% increase nationally in the number of cases, compared to January through April of last year, according to the CDC Other states are reporting similar problems. The Mobile County Health Department in Alabama, for example, recently noted an "alarming" rise of cases locally, with 18 cases in May and June. That's more than all the reported cases in Mobile for 2013, health officials say. If you do catch whooping cough, you will typically be treated with antibiotics. Doctors often also treat all the family members in an infected person's house to prevent transmission.	– At least 3,458 cases of whooping cough have been reported in California this year—more than the number reported through all of last year. Facing 800 cases in the past two weeks, the state has now declared an epidemic, the San Jose Mercury News reports. "We urge all pregnant women to get vaccinated," says state public health director Ron Chapman. "We also urge parents to vaccinate infants as soon as possible." Though it doesn't offer lifetime immunity, "vaccination is still the best defense against this potentially fatal disease," he notes. Adults should generally receive booster shots against the disease, CNN notes; the Mercury News cites a special risk to those who spend time around infants. The bacterial infection, also called pertussis, may begin with coughing and a runny nose in children. After a week or two, coughing may finish with a "whoop" sound. The greatest danger is to infants too young to receive full immunization, officials say. In California, two babies have died, and two-thirds of cases have been in kids four months old or younger. The highly contagious disease has increased 24% nationwide this year compared to the period from January to April 2013, CNN notes.
Just a day before Prince Charles was officially named the next leader of the Commonwealth, Anita Sethi, a British writer, slammed the royal for making an ignorant comment to her during their brief interaction at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting this week. In an article about the experience for The Guardian, Sethi writes that when she had a chance to meet Charles after speaking during the Commonwealth People’s Forum, he asked her where she was from. When she responded Manchester, a city in northwestern England, he reportedly responded: “Well, you don’t look like it!” Sethi, who is of Indian descent, said she was “stunned” by the remark. The incident came just a few hours after Queen Elizabeth, for the first time publicly, endorsed her son to succeed her as the next Head of the Commonwealth. Looking forward to readings from the brilliant new anthology, #WeMarkYourMemory including @anitasethi who will be reading from her moving piece, here at #CWPeople QE2 Centre, 5th floor at 5pm. pic.twitter.com/wOC7FLX4w6 — Commonwealth Writers (@cwwriters) April 17, 2018 “That the mooted next leader of an organization that represents one-third of the people on the planet commented that I, a brown woman, did not look as if I was from a city in the UK is shocking,” Sethi writes. “This is exactly why some people, including the prince, urgently need a history lesson about immigration, the British empire, the Commonwealth and colonialism.” (Clarence House has not commented on the controversy.) Prince Charles Samir Hussein/WireImage “So what does a British person look like? A British person can look like me. A British person can have black or brown, not only white, skin and still be just as British.” In her article, Sethi says that she thinks the outlook she observed in her exchange with Charles should disqualify him not only from the position as the Head of the Commonwealth, but also as the next British monarch. “We need to skip a generation so that Prince Charles does not become king of England or head of the Commonwealth, and these privileges pass to leaders more enlightened.” Charles was officially named the next leader of the Commonwealth a day after Sethi’s article was published, on Friday. In the past, the royal has spoken out about his sympathy for those who have faced persecution and discrimination, most recently, in a televised Easter address. In it, he said: “My heart goes out to all who this day, whatever their beliefs, are being persecuted on religious grounds.” \|\|\|\|\| Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Clarence House has declined to comment after a racism row involving Prince Charles and a writer from Manchester . Anita Sethi met the heir to the throne briefly during the Commonwealth People’s Forum in London. The journalist, critic and writer says he asked where she was from and when she replied: ‘Manchester, UK’ she claims he quipped: “Well, you don’t look like it!” and laughed, before walking away. The Prince was yesterday chosen to eventually become the next leader of the Commonwealth. Ms Sethi, whose mother was born in Guyana, wrote in an opinion piece in the Guardian newspaper saying: “Although I have experienced such off-the-cuff, supposedly humorous, comments before, I was stunned by the gaffe. “This is exactly why some people, including the prince, urgently need a history lesson about immigration, the British empire, the Commonwealth and colonialism. “Because I do look like I’m from Manchester, actually – a city in which many people of colour have been born and bred. Growing up in Manchester, and going to school in Rusholme , a multicultural area in that city, I remember being taught nothing in history lessons about the Commonwealth (I have four different Commonwealth countries in my heritage). “If such vital knowledge was more ingrained there would not be so much racism and ignorance.” “That the mooted next leader of an organisation that represents one-third of the people on the planet commented that I, a brown woman, did not look as if I was from a city in the UK is shocking.” She said since the encounter “she had have been through all the feelings – from shock to humiliation to rage.” She went on to say: “Of course, allegations of racism are not new for the Royal Family. “The Duke Of Edinburgh (Charles’ father Prince Philip) has made numerous contentious comments; and only last year Princess Michael of Kent wore a blackamoor brooch while meeting Prince Harry’s fiancée, Meghan Markle.” Got a story or an issue you want us to investigate? Want to tell us about something going on where you live? Let us know - in complete confidence - by emailing newsdesk@men-news.co.uk, calling us on 0161 211 2323, tweeting us @MENnewsdesk or messaging us on our Facebook page . You can also send us a story tip using the form here . Join the Manchester Evening News breaking news Facebook group for a place to read and talk about breaking news in Greater Manchester. \|\|\|\|\| I met Prince Charles this week at the Commonwealth People’s Forum at which I was a speaker (on a day whose itinerary was entitled Politics of Hope: Taking on Injustice in the Commonwealth). It was part of the buildup to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, the summit of leaders of 53 countries representing more than 2 billion people. I shook the prince’s hand with my right hand. In my other, I was holding a copy of an anthology, We Mark Your Memory: Writing from the Descendants of Indenture, in which I have an essay published. I told him that my mother was born in Guyana and that the anthology had collected hidden histories of indenture. “And where are you from?” asked the prince. “Manchester, UK,” I said. “Well, you don’t look like it!” he said, and laughed. He was then ushered on to the next person. Although I have experienced such off-the-cuff, supposedly humorous, comments before, I was stunned by the gaffe. Prince Charles was endorsed by the Queen, in her opening speech to the heads of government, to be the future head of the Commonwealth: it’s her “sincere wish” that he become so. That the mooted next leader of an organisation that represents one-third of the people on the planet commented that I, a brown woman, did not look as if I was from a city in the UK is shocking. We need to skip a generation so that Prince Charles does not become king of the UK or head of the Commonwealth This is exactly why some people, including the prince, urgently need a history lesson about immigration, the British empire, the Commonwealth and colonialism. Because I do look like I’m from Manchester, actually – a city in which many people of colour have been born and bred. Growing up in Manchester, and going to school in Rusholme, a multicultural area in that city, I remember being taught nothing in history lessons about the Commonwealth (I have four different Commonwealth countries in my heritage). If such vital knowledge was more ingrained there would not be so much racism and ignorance. Whatever the prince meant or didn’t mean in our fleeting encounter, since it happened I have been through all the feelings – from shock to humiliation to rage. Most of all, I feel angry that there could be such casual ignorance in the corridors of power, an ignorance that also permeates society – not least because some British people of colour invited here have been threatened with deportation. They don’t look like they are from here, according to some. So what does a British person look like? A British person can look like me. A British person can have black or brown, not only white, skin and still be just as British (this shouldn’t need to be spelled out in black and white). I could have proven that I was born in Manchester and that I am British, as I had my passport in my handbag – I’d needed it to get through the venue’s security. Yet I can’t tell Prince Charles exactly where I am from originally – that old chestnut. Why? Because the British destroyed much of the evidence that my ancestors were shipped over from India in the 19th century to toil for the empire as indentured labourers on sugar colonies in the Caribbean. I have been to the National Archives in Georgetown, Guyana, to search for my ancestral history and stared down a gaping hole where records of lives should have been. The British destroyed so much that could properly explain and evidence our identities. Of course, allegations of racism are not new for the royal family. The Duke Of Edinburgh has made numerous contentious comments; and only last year Princess Michael of Kent wore a blackamoor brooch while meeting Prince Harry’s fiancee, Meghan Markle. We need to skip a generation so that Prince Charles does not become king of the UK or head of the Commonwealth, and these privileges pass to leaders more enlightened (don’t forget, the role of head of the Commonwealth is not hereditary). I have a message for Prince Charles. Your Royal Highness, you asked me: “Where are you from?” To adapt a phrase from the late Ambalavaner Sivanandan: I am here because you were there. •Anita Sethi is a writer and has contributed to the forthcoming anthology, We Mark Your Memory: Writing from the Descendants of Indenture • This article was amended on 23 April 2018 to correct “king of England” to “king of the UK”.	– Prince Charles has roused a Guardian reporter's ire by allegedly making a racist remark about her, People reports. Anita Sethi met Charles this week at the Commonwealth People's Forum, and when she told him she's from Manchester, he apparently said, "Well, you don't look like it!" and laughed. Sethi, a woman of color, says she was stunned. "Since it happened I have been through all the feelings—from shock to humiliation to rage," she writes in the Guardian. "This is exactly why some people, including the prince, urgently need a history lesson about immigration, the British empire, the Commonwealth and colonialism. Because I do look like I'm from Manchester, actually—a city in which many people of color have been born and bred." She says Charles should no longer become Head of the Commonwealth, a position he was appointed to Friday. "We need to skip a generation so that Prince Charles does not become king of England or head of the Commonwealth, and these privileges pass to leaders more enlightened (don’t forget, the role of head of the Commonwealth is not hereditary)," writes Sethi, who is of Indian descent. "I have a message for Prince Charles. Your Royal Highness, you asked me: 'Where are you from?' To adapt a phrase from the late Ambalavaner Sivanandan: I am here because you were there." The royal family has declined to comment, the Manchester Evening News reports.
A damning 2005 article about two of his accusers was scrapped for a softer interview with the comedian after his lawyers threatened to sue the publication Lawyers acting for Bill Cosby cajoled the tabloid magazine the National Enquirer into ditching a groundbreaking investigation it had conducted into his alleged sexual misconduct and replacing it with a celebrity interview in which the comic dismissed the claims as money-motivated “misinterpretations”, the Guardian has learned. The National Enquirer’s investigation was carried out in 2005, just weeks after it first emerged that Cosby had been accused of drugging and molesting a female friend, Andrea Constand. The tabloid magazine dispatched its senior reporter Robin Mizrahi to look into the story. Mizrahi made contact with a second woman, Beth Ferrier, who alleged that she too had been drugged and sexually molested by the entertainer. The Enquirer brought Ferrier to Los Angeles from her home in Denver, where she was then working as a model, and Mizrahi interviewed her and arranged for her to undergo a lie detector test. “She passed the polygraph test with flying colors,” Mizrahi told the Guardian. “She had a very, very detailed description of what allegedly happened which I still remember because it was so haunting. She said Cosby had stood over her and then she fell asleep because there was something in her coffee.” Mizrahi, a Los Angeles-based writer who left the Enquirer in 2009 having worked there for nine years, filed her story in February 2005 based in large part on Ferrier’s allegations. But she was then informed by her editors that they had decided to kill it after the magazine came under pressure from Cosby’s lawyers, who threatened to sue. Further details of the exchanges between Cosby’s team and executives at the National Enquirer are given in court documents lodged by Andrea Constand in the course of a civil lawsuit brought by her against Cosby’s lawyer and the magazine. The suit says that the Enquirer “provided a copy of the unpublished Beth Ferrier article to Cosby and his representatives”. After negotiations between the two sides, carried out at a meeting between them in Houston, Texas, they agreed, according to the lawsuit, that “Cosby would provide an exclusive interview with the National Enquirer, if the National Enquirer would agree to refrain from printing the Beth Ferrier story”. On 21 February 2005 the deal was sealed, with Cosby granting the interview to the magazine. The Enquirer’s decision to switch its own investigation with a soft-soap interview was reported by Mark Ebner in the Daily Beast this week. In the Enquirer’s ensuing front-page “exclusive”, Cosby, then 67, was allowed to present his rebuttal of the sexual assault allegations that had only just started to dog him. He argued that “words and actions can be misinterpreted by another person,” adding that “I’m not saying that what I did was wrong, but I apologize to my loving wife … These allegations have caused my family great emotional stress.” He also cast aspersions on the motives of the women who had raised the allegations, saying: “I am not going to give in to people who try to exploit me because of my celebrity status.” Constand denied that she had ever asked for any money from Cosby and insisted in court documents that her only motivation in raising the alleged sexual assault was to ask the star for an apology. She sued both his legal team and the Enquirer for the suggestion that she was trying to “take advantage” of him, and the lawsuit was settled in 2006 for an undisclosed sum. Mizrahi told the Guardian that she remains “livid” about the spiking of her hard-news investigation in favour of “a bullshit feel-good interview with Cosby. I feel sad for the women who tried to speak up and weren’t listened to because he was so powerful and had such effective lawyers.” Cosby has consistently denied all allegations of drugging, rape and sexual assault that have now been made by seven named women. No criminal charges have ever been brought against him relating to any of the claims. In a statement that was posted this week on Cosby’s official website, his lawyers said that the comic did not intend to dignify these “decade-old, discredited allegations” with any comment. That statement has now been taken down and replaced with an error message. Instead, the website now carries a joint statement drawn up with Constand’s lawyers pointing out that the reference to “discredited allegations” in no way referred to those raised by her. The Guardian approached Martin Singer, Cosby’s Los Angeles-based lawyer who led the negotiations over the Enquirer article and was duly sued by Constand, but he was not immediately available for comment. American Media Inc, which publishes the National Enquirer, did not respond to questions from the Guardian about the decision to drop the Ferrier investigation. It said that the Enquirer, “more than any other publication, was unflinching in our aggressive coverage of allegations against Mr Cosby beginning in 2000 when everyone else avoided the story. We continue to remain aggressive in our reporting today and stand by the integrity of our coverage.” Mizrahi said: “I did unflinching reporting, but they didn’t publish it.” Beth Ferrier’s account of how she had been allegedly drugged and molested finally saw the light of day four months after the Enquirer buried it when the Philadelphia Daily News carried its own version. “I want Bill Cosby to know I’m not afraid of him and that what he did to me was wrong,” she said. \|\|\|\|\| In 2007—seven years before she publicly came forward—I spoke with Joan Tarshis, a former Hollywood publicist who claimed that Bill Cosby raped her. After our talk—and, of course, much more research—I filed a version of the following story on my website Hollywood, Interrupted. It identified a number of women who claimed that Bill Cosby had raped them, including Andrea Constand, whose allegations led Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, prosecutors to charge Cosby criminally on Dec. 30, 2015. In my interviews with several of the women back then, I found the tale they told disturbingly similar: All were young and impressionable, beautiful, and talented. Cosby had taken a keen interest in their careers, and had offered to mentor them or otherwise open the fabled doors to the glistening kingdom of show business, for which he was a principal emissary. All were given spiked drinks—or drugs misrepresented as medicine—and became incapacitated, the women charged. And all allegedly awoke with the unshakable sense that something wrong had occurred. People magazine even ran an article on the lawsuits that were settled with several of the women, but never followed up on it. And from my own experience, I can confirm that the story shook people to the core: Even more than Woody Allen, Bill Cosby was a beloved figure and civil-rights pioneer; hardened editors were horrified at the prospect of taking him down. I might as well have pitched a story about Martin Luther King Jr. philandering with white women. The story went nowhere. It’s important to track the history of this story, and the media complicity that enabled it to remain untold for so long. Heroes always fall hard, but their suffering and anguish is nothing compared to that of their victims. — Mark Ebner William Henry Cosby occupies a permanent place in the American pantheon. Like Jackie Robinson in baseball or Sidney Poitier in Hollywood films (with whom he partnered twice), Cosby was the first to successfully cross the color line in his field—initially nightclub comedy, and then network television—carrying the struggle for racial equality and civil rights literally into the nation’s living rooms. One of the most revered performers of the last half-century, his long-running series The Cosby Show and endearing commercials as a pitchman for Jell-O made him not only one of the wealthiest celebrities (he once considered buying NBC), but earned him unofficial status as America’s first father. (He is the author of a best-selling book titled simply Fatherhood.) This was only reinforced when his son Ennis, 27, was shot and killed in a senseless act that was quickly recast as a national tragedy. Yet like many pathfinders, Cosby may possess an inexplicable and almost unfathomable darkness, one that has caused him to reportedly commit unspeakable atrocities in defiance of his public persona. Let’s enter that mirror world where the father we felt we knew can allegedly defile young women who looked up to him, without their approval, and often without their conscious awareness. Shall we, Dr. Huxtable? Bill Cosby was born July 12, 1937, in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. He followed a stint in the Navy with a career in stand-up comedy, where his accessible, family-centered routines and affable nature proved a winning combination for white liberal audiences looking to assimilate black comedy into their monochromatic world. A series of folksy, astoundingly successful comedy albums led to appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and then in 1965, I Spy, where he became the first black performer to be cast in a network television series or win an Emmy, paving the way for Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, and an entire generation of comics. He followed that with several series, including an animated Saturday-morning show called Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids which ran for eight seasons, ending in 1984. That same year, The Cosby Show began its eight-year run at the top of the ratings, establishing a comedy beachhead on NBC Thursday nights that has endured for two decades. Cosby received a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and in later years, the father of five was presented with a Kennedy Center Award by President Bill Clinton. So great is his enduring appeal that in the ensuing national grief following his son’s murder in 1997, radio talk-show host Tammy Bruce could be fired for suggesting that the killing was not racially motivated, but possibly the result of the Cosby heir being in the wrong place at the wrong time in an expensive, carjack-able vehicle. Cracks in the Wall Two days after Ennis Cosby’s death, 22-year-old Autumn Jackson and a male companion were arrested in Los Angeles after allegedly flying there to extort $24 million from the elder Cosby in exchange for not revealing that he was her father, following an extramarital affair with her mother, Shawn Upshaw, in the mid-’70s. In the ensuing trial, Cosby admitted to the affair and to having paid Upshaw $100,000 over the intervening decades and set up a trust fund in her name, but denied he was Jackson’s father. She refused to take a paternity test, and was eventually convicted of extortion and sentenced to 22 months in prison. Cosby generated controversy again in 2000, while speaking at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., at a dinner sponsored by the NAACP Legal Defense Education Fund and Howard University. Cosby chose the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision that ended segregation in public schools to deliver a rambling, unfocused speech that vilified “lower-class blacks” for their failure to honor the unspoken social contract of civil rights, and called into question their parenting skills. Middle-class blacks and black institutions were outraged. Allegations As the years went on, the bombshells kept coming—seemingly bigger with each blast. That included an allegation from 2000, when 20-year-old actress La’Chele Covington, who had performed a bit part on his TV series, claimed Cosby had fondled her breasts and exposed himself to her in his Manhattan home. No charges were ever filed in that incident. Get The Beast In Your Inbox! Daily Digest Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast. Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't). By clicking “Subscribe,” you agree to have read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Subscribe Thank You! You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason. Andrea Constand, then a 31-year-old former University of Arizona basketball star and athletic department executive at Temple University in Philadelphia, Cosby’s alma mater, came forward to allege that after a dinner party in January 2004, Cosby drugged her in his Philadelphia mansion, touched her breasts, put her hand on his genitals and that she awoke with her clothing in disarray and the sense that she had been violated. Her father told reporters that Constand, who has returned to her native Canada, had been good friends with Cosby, which is why it took her a full year to work up the courage to report the incident to authorities. Although no criminal charges were filed against Cosby originally, the comedian settled a lawsuit filed against him by the Canadian woman, seeking compensation from Cosby for “mental anguish,” “post-traumatic stress disorder” and the “loss of enjoyment of life’s pleasures.” The terms of the settlement, of course, are confidential. Constand’s lawyer, Dolores Troiani, issued a statement that confirmed the two parties “have resolved their differences and, therefore, the litigation has been dismissed.” But that wasn’t the only related lawsuit his wallet vanquished. On Aug. 28, 2007, Hollywood, Interrupted broke the news that Cosby had reportedly settled and paid big bucks to avoid fallout from a 2006 lawsuit filed against his attorney, Martin Singer, and a tabloid newspaper by accuser Andrea Constand. In her complaint, Constand alleged that she had been libeled, defamed, and her privacy had been invaded by Cosby, et al. (See complaint here.) After that story appeared, mainstream news interest was scant, with corporate media apparently lacking the stomach to slaughter one of America’s sacred cows. (In fact, a wire service editor told me personally, “We don’t want to libel Mr. Cosby.”) But even more disturbing is Bill Cosby’s longtime, uneasy relationship with the tabloids. Back when Cosby’s son Ennis was murdered, an American tabloid offered a $100,000 reward that successfully led to the apprehension and conviction of the murderer. That victory for the tab became a bargaining chip in all future dealings with the superstar. In 2005, the tabloid was set to publish an exposé on Cosby, featuring allegations from new self-described Cosby victims. A woman calling herself “Barbara” (later identified as former Hollywood publicist Joan Tarshis) claimed that in 1969, after a meeting on the set of a television show, Cosby slipped her a mickey and forced her into oral copulation, after which he tossed her ten bucks for cab fare. (It was Tarshis who gave the comedian the memorable epithet “Jell-O Man.”) She agreed to meet with tabloid editors in New York City and take a lie detector test to back up her claims. The tabloid realized that they had a bombshell story on their hands, but the exposé was mysteriously killed when Cosby agreed to a clandestine interview with an editor staged in a hotel room in Houston. What resulted from that meeting was a garden-variety cover story in which the tabloid’s prize was getting Cosby to thank the paper for helping to nail his son’s killer, in between veiled intimations of shakedowns and how his accusers (specifically Andrea Constand) just wanted his money. Not surprisingly, the issue was a loser at the newsstand. Attorney Tamara Green, 58, a former fashion model and ex-wife of The Wild Bunch screenwriter Walon Green, claims the comedian drugged and forced himself on her over 40 years ago. In response to comments by the Philadelphia district attorney that she perceived as indicating the charges against Cosby were in doubt, Green announced that she had the names of three other women who would testify to almost identical stories of being drugged and assaulted. Green also claimed a young woman by the name of Page Young was so distraught over a similar sexual assault by Cosby that she was driven to suicide by a fatal drug overdose. “Do I want everybody to know that he [Cosby] had his dirty paws all over me? No,” Green told the Philadelphia Daily News. But the attorney decided to come forward with her sordid story in defense of Cosby’s Canadian accuser. Green says that it is her “civic duty and moral obligation” to come forward so that the Canadian woman would not be intimidated by the Cosby legal camp, nor would she be alone should her charges make it to the Philadelphia courtroom. Green claims that while she was a model doing cosmetics and Coca-Cola commercials in the early ’70s, Cosby employed her to help him open a private Los Angeles nightclub. Suffering from flu symptoms one day, she decided to call in sick. Cosby invited her to lunch at the club that day. “Maybe you’ll feel better,” Green says he told her. When she arrived at the club, she reports that Cosby offered her some pills that she says he told her were the cold medicine Contac. Ten minutes after taking the pills, she reports that she “was really stoned, I mean, smashed.” Cosby then offered to drive her home; when they got to her apartment, she alleges that he attacked her by attempting to take off her clothes. “I started fighting him and he’s kissing on me, peeling off my clothes,” she said. After Green started screaming and threatened to throw a lamp through her window to get someone’s attention, she says Cosby finally let her go. As a final indignity, Green alleges that he dropped two $100 bills on her end table and left. “That infuriated me,” she said. Read More on the Bill Cosby Rape Scandal Shawn Upshaw, the mother of Cosby’s discredited “love child,” Autumn Jackson, also told the National Enquirer, “I was put in the same position with Bill.” When Upshaw was visiting Cosby at his Beverly Hills rented mansion in the ’70s, she claims that he slipped debilitating drugs into a drink he prepared for her. She then claims that the drink “looked strange” to her and she didn’t want to drink it, but Cosby insisted she finish it. She immediately started feeling out of sorts. “I knew definitely that I had been heavily drugged,” she says. Although it was the last thing she remembered of the evening, Upshaw claims that Cosby put her to bed, and she awoke the next morning “knowing I’d had sex during my sleep.” The Deluge In my reporting, I fielded reports from numerous women (including Joan Tarshis) with similar stories to tell. An airline attendant claims that Cosby flew her and her aspiring actor-brother to Las Vegas and put them up in a luxury suite, promising to share his professional contacts with them. The weekend, she claims, quickly devolved into a wash of booze and drugs, and the stewardess says she had to repeatedly fend off Cosby’s inappropriate and aggressive sexual advances. Now, thanks to the public tribunal of Facebook, a decades-old story that the media consciously turned a blind eye to has gathered renewed momentum. In 2014 proto-supermodel Janice Dickinson adding her name to the afflicted—a charge she made in her 2002 autobiography No Lifeguard on Duty, but now claims she was forced to remove when Cosby’s legal team pressured publisher HarperCollins. (Cosby’s lawyers, both then and now, refused to comment further.) As is equally clear from his shambolic talk-show appearances and his extemporaneous attempts at social commentary in a public forum, Bill Cosby has long existed in a bubble. You don’t create movies like Leonard, Part 6, a catastrophically conceived 1987 James Bond parody in which the comedian at one point rides an ostrich, and not be dangerously out of touch with the world around you, or protected behind layers of hierarchy and protocol. With this much darker turn into pathology and alleged predation, it appears that for the entire 45 years of his public life, Cosby has been, in Shawn Upshaw’s words, “an incurable womanizer,” adulterer, and accused serial rapist—alleged actions in which his media champions were complicit. Moreover, the duration and degree of these incidents suggest a parallel history, one that once revealed in all its explosive detail, may render what we now know so far merely the tip of the iceberg. Editor's Note: This story has been updated thoroughout.	– The Bill Cosby mess might have gotten an airing nearly a decade ago had the National Enquirer not been swayed by the celeb's lawyers, reports the Guardian. The tabloid was all set to run an interview with accuser Beth Ferrier when Cosby's legal team got wind of it and threatened to sue. The tabloid reportedly provided Cosby's lawyers with a copy of the unpublished story, and the two sides struck a deal. The Enquirer killed the story and replaced it with a soft interview with Cosby in which he rebutted the allegations that were just beginning to surface. Robin Mizrahi, the reporter who interviewed Ferrier, is no longer with the Enquirer, but she tells the Guardian that Ferrier's story seemed air-tight. “She passed the polygraph test with flying colors,” Mizrahi says. “She had a very, very detailed description of what allegedly happened, which I still remember because it was so haunting. She said Cosby had stood over her and then she fell asleep because there was something in her coffee.” Of course, it may not have made much of a difference had the Enquirer printed the piece: Ferrier soon gave an interview to the Philadelphia Daily News, but the story got nowhere near the national traction as the current one. At the Daily Beast, Mark Ebner writes that Cosby's money and lawyers have "vanquished" several lawsuits over the years. (Casinos are the latest to cut ties with Cosby.)
Long, the son of the Hall of Famer and broadcaster Howie Long, has been involved in charity and activism for some time. He started a foundation two years ago that supports causes including assuring access to clean water worldwide, fighting homelessness, supporting veterans and helping children in need. Long, who is white, drew attention this season for putting his arm around his black teammate Malcolm Jenkins, who raised his fist during the national anthem to protest discrimination and police brutality. A member of the champion Patriots last season when they won the Super Bowl, Long was among several members of the team who chose to stay away from its White House visit with President Trump. “Some people are tired of hearing me tweet because they want me to stick to football but I like to use social media like I was a regular guy because I think I am,” Long told NBC Sports Philadelphia in August. “I don’t tell people to stick to their job when they want to talk politics.” \|\|\|\|\| In September, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long donated his first six game checks to fund scholarships in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. CBSSports.com reports that on Wednesday Long announced that he will donate his remaining 10 game checks this season to increase educational equality by launching the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign. "In my 10th year, I want to celebrate the awesome opportunity I've had to play football by giving back to the communities that have given me that gift," Long said in a statement. "Educational opportunity and equity are the best gateway to a better tomorrow for everyone in America." "My wife and I have been passionate about education being a gateway for upward mobility and equality," Long told The Associated Press. "I think we can all agree that equity in education can help affect change that we all want to see in this country." Long, who signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Eagles in the offseason and has a base salary of $1 million for 2017, has spoken out on social issues affecting the league and its players. He also puts his money where his mouth is, as evidenced by his decision to donate every game check this season. "If you listen to people who tell you to 'Stick to sports,' I would ask them, 'Do you stick to whatever your occupation is?'" Long said in August, according to Yahoo.com. "People always want to hear from athletes when they agree with them. When we voice a [dissenting] opinion, they have an issue with it. I think that athletes are role models. We should think about what we're saying, then speak. And speak wisely." Charlottesville officials file suit to prevent future white nationalist demonstrations The AP reports that Long grew up in Charlottesville and starred in high school at St. Anne's-Belfield before going to the University of Virginia. He was moved to start the scholarship program following the violent protests in Charlottesville in August. "Our hometown is a wonderful place and I feel like people got the wrong idea about what the residents of Charlottesville are all about," he said. This article originally appeared on CBSSports.com.	– Chris Long is playing the entire 2017 NFL season without making a cent for it. CBS News reports the Philadelphia Eagles defensive end already donated his first six game checks to fund scholarships at a school in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. And on Wednesday Long announced he would be using his final 10 game checks to start the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign to increase educational equality. "In my 10th year, I want to celebrate the awesome opportunity I've had to play football by giving back to the communities that have given me that gift," Long says in a statement. According to the New York Times, Long says he's giving up his paychecks this year because he believes "that education is the best gateway to a better tomorrow for everyone in America. The Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign will fund four organizations in St. Louis, Boston, and Philadelphia—the three cities in which Long has played professional football—that work to make it easier for under-served youth to have access to equal education opportunities, ESPN reports. Long is no stranger to philanthropy. He started a foundation two years ago to work on homelessness, clean water access, and more. Long also gained some attention earlier this year when he put his arm around a black teammate who raised his fist during the national anthem and when he refused to visit the White House with the rest of the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots. Long's base salary in 2017 is $1 million.
WASHINGTON Kellyanne Conway, a Republican pollster who was widely credited with bringing a more disciplined approach to Donald Trump's presidential election campaign, will become White House counselor when he takes office next month. In her new post, Conway will play a key advisory role, helping to manage Trump's messaging and legislative priorities, the transition team said in a statement on Thursday. It praised Conway, 49, as the first woman campaign manager to guide a winning U.S. presidential campaign. Trump also tapped three loyalists to lead his communications team. The Republican National Committee's Sean Spicer will be press secretary, while Hope Hicks, Jason Miller and Dan Scavino will round out the communications team. Both before the Nov. 8 election and after, Conway, as a senior adviser on the transition team, has been a frequent presence on U.S. television news programs, often called upon to defend or explain Trump's thinking. Conway "played a crucial role in my victory," Trump said in the transition team statement. "She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message." Trump, a New York businessman, takes office on Jan. 20. Conway, interviewed by ABC's "Good Morning America" shortly after the announcement, was asked when Trump would hold his first news conference. She avoided directly answering the question. Trump has held several rallies since winning the election but has not taken formal questions from reporters. He canceled a Dec. 15 news conference to discuss how he would handle his vast business interests once in the White House and said he would reschedule that for January. Conway told ABC that Trump was focusing on forming his Cabinet. "He's been very busy doing that," she said. Because of her prominent role in the campaign and transition team, there had been considerable speculation over what post Conway, a veteran political strategist, might occupy in Trump's administration. Conway, who has four children, said she did not immediately accept a position offered to her early on in the transition period because she had to weigh her family obligations. "I would say that I don’t play golf and I don’t have a mistress so, I have a lot of time that a lot of these other men don't," Conway told Fox Business Network. "I see people on the weekend spending an awful lot of time on their golf games and that’s their right, but the kids will be with me, we live in the same house, and they come first." (Additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Frances Kerry) \|\|\|\|\| (CNN) President-elect Donald Trump tapped former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway as "counselor to the president," the presidential transition team announced Thursday morning. The transition team said Conway, the first female campaign manager to win a presidential race, will work with White House senior leadership on messaging and to help execute the administration's legislative priorities. "In her position, Conway will continue her role as a close adviser to the President and will work with senior leadership to effectively message and execute the Administration's legislative priorities and actions," the Trump transition said in a statement. Conway's role would be similar to Karen Hughes' position in the Bush 43 administration -- placing her close to the President, and handing her responsibility for much of the big-picture communication duties for the White House, a transition source told CNN's Jim Acosta. The source drew parallels between Conway and Hughes, and also compared Trump's chief strategist Stephen Bannon to Bush's political maven Karl Rove, and chief of staff Reince Priebus to his Bush counterpart, Andy Card. In an interview on "New Day" the day of the announcement, Conway told host Chris Cuomo that the job "portfolio will be whatever the President wants it to be." "It is likely to include communications, and is likely to include data and strategy," she said. "I'm just really pleased and frankly very humbled to take on this role in the West Wing." Trump praised Conway in the announcement, calling her "a trusted adviser and strategist who played a crucial role in my victory," adding she has "amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message." Conway said in the statement that she was "humbled and honored to play a role in helping transform the movement he has led into a real agenda of actions and results." A veteran pollster, Conway was a fixture in Trump's inner circle after joining the campaign in early July. She took over as campaign manager after Paul Manafort's departure and a period of tumult in August, following the conventions. She played a critical role in organizing the campaign's operations and was a near-constant presence on television and social media as she helped craft the Trump campaign's message. Prior to joining the Trump campaign, Conway headed a super PAC that supported Sen. Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential bid, called "Keep the Promise I." Though she became one of Trump's most trusted advisers, Conway had previously criticized Trump for having "built a lot of his business on the backs of the little guy." Nevertheless, Conway emerged from the campaign as an indispensable part of Trump's coterie. She had publicly debated about the possibility of taking a job in the Trump administration, and expressed some concern about having time for her four children and making full-time move from New York to Washington. Still, Conway made clear that she was interested in serving in some capacity, saying at an event hosted by Politico in early December "In terms of going into the West Wing, I will do whatever the President-elect and the vice president-elect ... believe is my best and highest use for them," she had said. CNN's Jim Acosta contributed to this report.	– Kellyanne Conway was devoted as Donald Trump's campaign manager (so much so she says she's getting death threats as a result), and her loyalty has now been rewarded. The president-elect announced Thursday that Conway will serve as his counselor in the Oval Office, Reuters reports, noting in a transition team statement that Conway "played a crucial role in my victory." "She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message," his statement continues. Conway had announced Tuesday that she'd be moving to DC with her family, noting at the time that "I will either stay outside and run the political super-structure, or I will go into the West Wing and take a position right next to the president," per Fox News. The transition team says that Conway, who CNN notes was the first woman campaign manager to lead a successful White House run, will facilitate the new administration's legislative missions and assist other senior White House officials with messaging. Conway, who jumped into the Trump fray in early July and replaced Paul Manafort as campaign manager in August, had previously stumped for Ted Cruz as head of one of his super PACs, where she had laid into Trump for "[building] a lot of his business on the backs of the little guy." Conway says in the transition team statement that she's "humbled and honored to play a role in helping transform the movement he has led into a real agenda of actions and results." She had noted to Fox on Tuesday: "I have the president-elect’s trust and I have his ear."
MOSCOW -- At a working lunch here Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin charmed the visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his delegation by serving an 1855 vintage bottle of wine -- the year diplomatic relations between the two neighbors were first established with the Treaty of Shimoda. The guests were also served caviar on a bowl made of ice. Was it the beginning of a new thaw in sometimes-frosty Japan-Russian relations? Or just old wine in an old -- but newly presented -- bottle? Japanese officials played up what they considered a particularly friendly exchange. Each government official and business executive in Mr. Abe's group got a personal handshake and photo with Mr. Putin -- unusual for such events, officials said. Japanese and Russian officials generally come to these meetings with differing agendas. The Japanese want back the chain of islands off Hokkaido seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The Russians want Japanese money. The usual game is for the Russians to suggest enough flexibility on the former to get more of the latter. During the summit, Mr. Putin first talked a lot about economic issues. That made some Japanese officials wary that Russia may want to avoid discussing the islands. But their concerns were eased when Mr. Putin then turned directly to the subject, saying there were other important things that needed to be discussed. In response, Mr. Abe touched on the economic issues that Mr. Putin raised before going into the treaty talks. The Japanese have said that return of the islands is crucial to the signing of a long-delayed peace treaty between the two nations declaring the official end of World War II. The formal public joint statement issued by the two leaders after the summit did not mention the islands anywhere, even as it called for resumption of peace treaty talks. Japanese officials said Mr. Abe was doing Mr. Putin a favor, to make it easier for him to explain any developments on the issue to the Russian public. Mr. Abe also avoided using the phrase in the press conference, which was aired live on Russian TV. (Japanese officials insist, though, that they were satisfied because the 2013 statement refers to a 2003 statement between the countries that also did not make direct mention of the islands but referred to older documents about the dispute). The Japanese press wasn't as careful as Mr. Abe about avoiding direct reference to the territorial tiff -- and that seemed to provoke Mr. Putin's ire. One Japanese reporter asked the Russian president whether it was acceptable to have the territory under Russian control. “I saw you were conscientiously reading that question from a piece of paper," Mr. Putin responded. "I ask you to pass on (the following) to whoever dictated it to you. If you want to help us, then it’s possible. We need to create the conditions for this: sympathetic and trusting relations. If you want to hinder—which is also possible—then you can continue to ask tough, direct questions, which will receive similarly tough, direct answers.” Mr. Putin regained his composure, however, and, according to Japanese officials, even whispered at the end of the press conference to Mr. Abe -- through an interpreter -- that he likes Japan. Officials say they're confident Mr. Putin will visit Japan in 2014 -- when more discussions of economic investment, and the elusive islands, is likely to be on the agenda. \|\|\|\|\| Today's summit between Shinzo Abe and Vladimir Putin comes at an opportune moment but may founder on the old problem of the Kuril Islands, which Japan still wants back. Russian President Vladimir Putin (r.) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow. Many new circumstances are driving Moscow and Tokyo to take a fresh look at each other, despite the debate that has raged since the end of World War II about the rightful ownership of the Kuril Islands. Russian President Vladimir Putin met in the Kremlin Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first top-level Russo-Japanese summit in almost a decade. The two wrestled for hours with the problem that has stymied Russian and Japanese leaders for almost 70 years: how to find a mutually acceptable and hopefully profitable way to finally end World War II. "The leaders of both countries agreed that the situation where, 67 years after the conclusion of [World War II], we have still been unable to conclude a bilateral peace treaty, looks abnormal," said a joint statement at the meeting's end Monday. "We have ordered our foreign ministries to intensify contacts with an aim to developing a mutually acceptable plan. This will prioritize two parallel processes: discussion of the main subjects of the peace agreement and, simultaneously, ways to actively promote improvements across the full range of Russian-Japanese relations," it said. Many new circumstances are driving Moscow and Tokyo to take a fresh look at each other, despite the debate that has raged since the end of World War II about the rightful ownership of the Kuril Islands, which Russia has occupied since the end of the war but Japan still claims. The dispute is the major reason the two nations never signed a peace treaty. Still, since the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japan's reliance on Russian energy supplies, particularly liquified natural gas, has grown significantly. As Russia's geopolitical focus pivots eastward, Moscow is also eager for outside investment and expertise to develop its vast, resource-rich but largely unpopulated Siberian and far eastern regions. Japan is a logical go-to place for the capital and technology that Russia needs. Japan might also be keen to distract Russia from its burgeoning partnership with China, with which Tokyo has increasingly tense relations, and introduce a bit more balance in fast-changing Asia Pacific. Mr. Abe brought with him a delegation of 120 Japanese business leaders, some of whom told journalists they are eager to see a "road map" prepared for intensive Russo-Japanese cooperation in resources, energy, infrastructure, and even high-tech industries. In a brief statement following the talks, the Kremlin announced that the two leaders had signed a series of modest agreements aimed at promoting cultural interchange, strengthening intergovernmental cooperation, and improving financial arrangements for Russian infrastructure projects. But there is one big obstacle that continues to stand in the way of any true breakthrough: the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands. These four small specks of land off Japan's northern tip were occupied by Soviet forces in the waning days of World War II, and resolving their status looks as unsolvable as ever. Without a deal over them, no formal peace treaty seems even remotely possible. "There is a mutual wish to find a solution to the Kuril issue," says Anatoly Koshkin, an expert with the official Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow. "Japan is really interested at this stage to inject some dynamism into its relations with Russia. It has complicated problems all around, including territorial disputes with China and South Korea, so a political breakthrough with Russia would be welcome," he says, adding that "Japan is interested, especially since Fukushima, in Russian coal and energy supplies. Russia already provides 9 percent of Japan's gas, but this looks set to rise. In July Japan will have elections to the upper house of parliament, and it would be good for Abe if he could demonstrate a success in foreign policy." "But with all that said, I really don't see any solution to the Kuril problem just now. I don't expect Russia to change its position" and agree to give the islands back to Japan, he says. The four islands – Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan, and Habomai – which Russia calls the "southern Kurils," and Japan refers to as its "northern territories," have been the subject of futile negotiations for decades. The outlines of a compromise have been apparent since 1956, when reformist Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev offered to return the two southernmost islands, Shikotan and Habomai, and Japan agreed that its claim to the other two was "weak." But the deal was never finalized, some say because the United States blocked it by warning Japan that this would create a legal precedent for the US to keep Okinawa. Russia's official attitude has seesawed ever since. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev insisted in the 1970s that "there is no such territorial dispute" over the Kurils, even as the last Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev, admitted in 1990 that "the problem exists." The pro-Western Russian leader Boris Yeltsin, in a typical flamboyant gesture, pledged to resolve the issue by the end of his second term in 2000. He never did. Since then, especially under Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the dispute has become seriously inflamed, with nationalists on both sides using it to stir up passions in the absence of any diplomatic dialogue whatsoever. As recently as last February, the Japanese armed forces scrambled fighter planes to intercept an alleged incursion by Russian jets into Japanese airspace near the Kurils. But Putin intrigued many observers recently by saying the dispute could be settled with "hiki-wake," a judo term that means "a draw." Experts say that probably means the Kremlin is leaning toward the old 1956 formula, which would involve giving two of the islands back to Japan. "This issue has been talked to death by experts. Literally dozens of different plans have been floated over the years," says Sergei Strokan, a foreign-affairs columnist with the Moscow daily Kommersant. "The problem has never been a shortage of ideas. It's always been about a lack of political will to deal with it. Experts discuss, leaders act.... But we would need to see some strong reasons for Russian leaders to move dramatically on this. Japan could show us how it might be instrumental in helping to develop Siberia and the far east of Russia," he adds. "But right now all eyes in Moscow are focused on China. The Chinese lobby is very strong, and those who think Japan might be our best choice of partner are marginalized. Abe's visit was positive, and good for both countries, but it doesn't look like it was a game changer."	– Japan and Russia have decided to have another stab at forging a peace treaty that will bring World War II to an official end. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe at the Kremlin yesterday, and the first top-level summit between the countries in about a decade yielded an order for their foreign ministries to come up with a mutually acceptable plan, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The biggest obstacle is the Kurils, four Pacific islands that Russia seized soon after entering the war in August 1945 and are still claimed by Japan. The issue tends to inflame nationalist sentiments in both countries, but analysts say that with Japan getting a growing share of its energy from Russia, and with both countries seeking to counter China's rise, the time could be ripe for a deal. In 1956, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev offered to give the two southernmost islands back to Japan, but the deal was never finalized. Putin recently said the issue could be settled with a "hiki-wake"—a judo expression for a tie—hinting that he might revive the Khrushchev deal. And the Wall Street Journal reports that the meeting seemed to be a "particularly friendly" one, per some of the officials who accompanied Abe; they each got a photo with Putin, which they described as unusual, and in a live press conference after the summit, Putin reportedly whispered to Abe that he likes Japan. Another tidbit: The group lunched on caviar served from a bowl constructed of ice and opened a bottle of wine from 1855.
The TV Academy showered Anthony Bourdain with posthumous Emmys this evening, including Best Nonfiction Writing and Best Informational Series or Special, for CNN’s Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown. By the time the dust settled, Bourdain’s program had bagged six Emmys – the most for one year in the series history. Producer Lydia Tenaglia noted it was Bourdain’s first best-writing statuette. “Tony was nominated for this Emmy many times, but it had always eluded him. So it is with tremendous bittersweetness that I accept it on his behalf,” she said pointedly, accepting Bourdain’s writing win. Describing Bourdain’s writing as “always fiercely intelligent, very real, no bullshit” she nonetheless said he would have thanked his longtime lit agent, CNN execs, etc. “Actually, he wouldn’t have done that at all,” she continued, giving attendees whiplash and something to think about. “But he’s really off on a journey to Parts Unknown,” she said, adding that his crew wishes they “were there to shoot it with him” adding that Bourdain “really would have written the hell out of that episode.” Taking the show’s Emmy for Best Informational Series or Special, executive producer Christopher Collins noted Bourdain once described travel as not always pretty, and sometimes heartbreaking, and wondered “Is it possible to feel enriched and hollowed out at the same time?” “Yes, Tony, we feel that now,” Collins said. Accepting the award for picture editing, editor Hunter Gross thanked Bourdain “for letting me be part of this for the last seven years.” In addition to Best Informational Series or Special and Best Writing wins, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown also was awarded the Emmy for Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing, while the digital spinoff Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown won Best Short Form Nonfiction/Reality Series. The celebrity chef and CNN series host died in June at age 61, found dead in his hotel room in Strasbourg France, by close friend/French chef Eric Ripert, when he and the production crew were about to start work on that day’s shooting. CNN confirmed the cause of death was suicide. In a memo to staff, CNN chief Jeff Zucker acknowledged Bourdain “brought something to CNN that no one else had ever brought before,” adding, “Tony will be greatly missed, not only for his work but also for the passion with which he did it.” Awarding him a Peabody in 2013, the judges wrote “People open up to him and, in doing so, often reveal more about their hometown and homeland than a traditional reporter could hope to document.” Former President Obama, who appeared on his program, tweeted “He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown.” CNN is airing a final season of the late Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, with one episode already complete and four others finished by the directors who filmed them. The sole episode completed before Bourdain’s death features a trip to Kenya with United Shades of America host W. Kamau Bell. That episode is the last to have Bourdain’s written narration. \|\|\|\|\| Three months after his death, Anthony Bourdain was honored with six Emmy wins at this year’s Creative Arts Emmys for his CNN show “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and its digital spinoff. The series, which was up for six awards, took home trophies for best informational series or special, writing for non-fiction program, picture editing for a non-fiction program, sound editing for a non-fiction program and sound mixing for a non-fiction program. Bourdain personally was the recipient of two of the Emmys, for writing and informational series or special. The late TV host also won an additional Emmy for best short-form non-fiction or reality for his series “Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown.” The posthumous Emmys are in addition to the four Bourdain won in past years, most recently for best informational series or special in 2016. Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” co-workers repeatedly honored him in their acceptance speeches, with “Explore Parts Unknown” executive producer Nathan Thornburgh saying backstage that public support has been key in getting through the days after the famed chef’s suicide. “The one thing about this loss is it’s not ours alone, like everybody knew that guy,” Thornburgh said. “Everybody had a selfie with him, but more importantly I think everyone felt like he had spoken to them over the years and that’s helped a lot, to feel like we’re not alone.” When accepting the non-fiction writing Emmy on his behalf, producer Lydia Tenaglia noted that, “Tony was nominated for this Emmy many times, but it had always eluded him. So it is with tremendous bittersweetness that I accept it on his behalf.” Bourdain had previously been recognized in the category eight times. The “Parts Unknown” star died by suicide on June 8 while in France working on an upcoming episode of his CNN series. \|\|\|\|\| John Legend has made history as the youngest person ever to achieve that sweet, sweet coveted EGOT status. That's someone who has received the big four, the holy grail of performance accolades: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. Legend, 39, completed the acronym at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, as did Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, all for producing best variety special winner Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. He's also the first black man to land EGOT status, making history in more ways than one. Legend also played the role of Jesus in NBC's production of the 1970 concept album-turned-Broadway musical, so he's also up for the Emmy for outstanding actor in a limited series or movie, which will be revealed at the big primetime Emmy Awards on Monday. "Before tonight, only 12 people had won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in competitive categories," wrote Legend on Instagram. "Sirs Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice and I joined that group when we won an Emmy for our production of their legendary show Jesus Christ Superstar. So happy to be part of this team. So honored they trusted me to play Jesus Christ. So amazed to be in such rarefied air." There are actually a total of 14 other EGOT recipients, including Audrey Hepburn, Scott Rudin, Mel Brooks. Two of these, Whoopi Goldberg and songwriter Robert Lopez, have won a daytime Emmy. Legend's wife and supreme social media queen Chrissy Teigen posted a photo of the three "EGOT GOATS" on Twitter: Now, we're just waiting for Teigen's dad's response. Want to tune in for the big night? The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will air on Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. PT on NBC. \|\|\|\|\| CNN’s “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” and “Saturday Night Live” racked up big wins Sunday on the second night of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Sunday’s ceremony completes the Television Academy’s two-night presentation of awards in 96 categories. HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” with seven trophies, and FX’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” with four, were the big winners at the close of Saturday’s ceremony. Over the course of the two nights, “Thrones” and “Saturday Night Live” topped the list of programs with the most wins, with seven awards each. “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” collected a total of five trophies, as did “Jesus Christ Superstar.” The victories were emotional for those affiliated with both shows. Bourdain took his own life in July, and “Jesus Christ Superstar” executive producer Craig Zadan died unexpectedly last month. Lydia Tenaglia, exec producer of “Parts Unknown” and a longtime collaborator with Bourdain, broke up on stage as she accepting Bourdain’s win for writing for a non-fiction program. She described her feeling of “tremendous bittersweetness,” noting that Bourdain had been nommed for his writing in the past but never won. “He’s off on a journey to parts unknown,” she said. “We wish we could be there to shoot that journey with him. I think he would have written the hell out of that episode.” Related Rachel Brosnahan on Emmy Win and 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 2 New Emmys Rules Define Television Movie Length “Jesus Christ Superstar’s” wins made EGOT winners (those who have Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards) of star John Legend and original composers Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The live production won for variety series (live) and kudos for production design, lighting, technical direction and sound mixing. Neil Meron, Zadan’s longtime producing partner, was also emotional as he accepted the variety special trophy, the last award presented of the night. “This is for Craig,” Meron said. Keeping musical theater alive and well as his “mission,” Meron added. “Tonight he is acknowledged for achieving that goal.” “Saturday Night Live” picked up six wins on Sunday, bringing its Creative Arts total to seven after Tiffany Haddish prevailed for guest actress in a comedy series for her hosting stint last season. RuPual Charles collected his third consecutive win for reality competition series host for his work on VH1’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Among networks, HBO has a narrow lead with 17 total wins coming out of Creative Arts Awards. Netflix is right behind with 16, followed by NBC (15), CNN (8) and FX Networks (7). Netflix’s revival of “Queer Eye” grabbed three wins, including the trophy for structured reality program. CNN’s “United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell” took the win for unstructured reality program. Netflix’s “Wild Wild Country” prevailed for documentary series. The Netflix comedy special “Dave Chappelle: Equanimity” won for variety special. Judd Apatow took home his first Emmy since 1993 with his HBO production “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling,” which won for documentary special. Highlights from this weekend’s Creative Arts Awards ceremonies will air Sept. 15 as a special on FXX. The remaining kudos will be handed out Sept. 17 in a ceremony to be telecast live on NBC. Here’s a list of Sunday’s winners, updated live: Variety special (live): “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” Host for a reality competition program: RuPaul Charles, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Directing for a reality program: Nick Murray, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Cinematography for a reality program: “Life Below Zero” Casting for a reality program: “Queer Eye” Variety special (pre-recorded): “Dave Chappelle: Equanimity” Sound mixing for a non-fiction program (single- or multi-camera): “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” Sound editing for a non-fiction program (single- or multi-camera): “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” Technical direction, camerawork, video control for a series: “Saturday Night Live” Makeup for a multi-camera series or special (non-prosthetic): “Saturday Night Live” Hairstyling for a multi-camera series or special: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Informational series or special: “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” Short-form non-fiction or reality: “Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown” Creative achievement in interactive media within a scripted program: “Conan Without Borders” Interactive program: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” Music direction: Gregg Field, “Tony Bennett: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song” Narration: David Attenborough, “Blue Planet II” Original music and lyrics: “Come Back Barack,” “Saturday Night Live” Picture editing for a structured or competition reality program: “Queer Eye” Picture editing for an unstructured reality program: “United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell” Unstructured reality program: “United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell” Structured reality program: “Queer Eye” Documentary or non-fiction series: “Wild Wild Country” Directing for a documentary/non-fiction special: Brett Morgen, “Jane” Documentary/non-fiction special: “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling” Technical direction, camerawork, video control for a limited series, movie or special: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” Choreography: Mandy Moore, “So You Think You Can Dance” Short-form variety series: “Carpool Karaoke — the Series” Picture editing for variety program: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” Production design for a variety special: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” Production design for a variety, reality or reality competition series: “Saturday Night Live” Lighting design/lighting direction for a variety special: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” Costumes for variety, non-fiction or reality programming: “Rupaul’s Drag Race” Cinematography for a non-fiction program: “Jane” Picture editing for a non-fiction program: “Lagos” Writing for a non-fiction program: Anthony Bourdain, “Parts Unknown” Lighting design/lighting direction for a variety series: “Saturday Night Live” Directing for a variety series: Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live” Writing for a variety series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (Pictured: John Legend)	– If Anthony Bourdain were still with us, Sunday would have been one of the proudest days of his life. The chef, who died by suicide in June, was honored with six awards at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Variety reports. His CNN show, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, won awards for best informational series or special, best writing for a non-fiction program, best picture editing for a non-fiction program, best sound editing for a non-fiction program, and best sound mixing for a non-fiction program. Bourdain and his team also won the best short-form non-fiction award for the show's web spinoff, Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown. Producer Lydia Tenaglia praised the "fiercely independent" Bourdain as she accepted his first best-writing award on his behalf, Deadline reports. "Tony was nominated for this Emmy many times, but it had always eluded him. So it is with tremendous bittersweetness that I accept it on his behalf," she said. "He's off on a journey to parts unknown," she added. "We wish we could be there to shoot that journey with him. I think he would have written the hell out of that episode." It was also a bittersweet night for the crew of NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, which won five awards (and which gave John Legend EGOT status, the youngest person and first black man ever to achieve it): Executive producer Craig Zadan died suddenly last month. Click for a full list of winners. (The primetime Emmys will be awarded next Monday.)
(Getty Images) Actor Alec Baldwin is no stranger to unhappy run-ins with the paparazzi—and earlier on Sunday, he was involved in yet another such altercation. Baldwin told us he was assaulted by a NY Post photographer near his East Village apartment, and called the cops to file a formal complaint against him. But it seems the photographer is planning on accusing Baldwin of using a racial epithet against him. "If you want to paint a picture of me that is a denigrating picture, I've seen that," Baldwin told us. "If you want to put words in my mouth...I've certainly had my moments. But this is not one of them. I don't think I've ever uttered a racial epithet to someone in my lifetime." Baldwin said he was returning home from the gym when the altercation took place. "This guy was right up in my face as I crossed University Place," he told us, saying the photographer—who may have been following him due to the recent lawsuit against his wife—was acting aggressively. "I get to the other side of the street, and he bumped into me." He believes it was a very deliberate provocation: "He banged into me with his shoulder, because he was right on top of me with the camera," he added. "In my mind, it was deliberate. I've had that happen before. It happens sometimes, because they want to bait you, they want you to do something." Baldwin noted some of his previous experiences with photographers from The Post and other local dailies, recalling one time around his wedding last summer to Hilaria Thomas when a photographer tripped and sat on a baby in a stroller while trying to get a photo of him. "My wife is pregnant and I'm trying to make sure she has as much peace as possible," he said. "Who knows what these people can do." So after he got home, Baldwin called the cops; two cop cars and four officers, who he said were nothing but kind and professional, responded and took his complaint. He also tweeted about the experience. The photographer, who was still there at the time, claimed he was a former cop himself, and was able to provide valid ID to prove it. Considering that, Baldwin is perplexed by what happened later: "My publicist has informed me that the "photographer" from the Post is claiming I called him a racial epithet, prior to me contacting NYPD," he tweeted. He further explained to us: "When they were there, no one made any mention of anything. While police were here, you'd figure that'd be an opportune time for this guy to really attempt to tar me in some way. But there was no mention of anything I said to him, no one said anything about me saying the N-word or taunting him or anything. So it was after the fact. He wants to say I used some racial slur against him." As he put it in a separate tweet, "Why did the photographer make no mention of this when the cops showed up? Cops make rather good witnesses." We've contacted The Post for comment about the confrontation, but they have not responded as of publication. Baldwin is clearly frustrated that these kinds of interactions keep happening, although he is not too concerned about people taking the photographer's accusations seriously: "I don't think anyone who knows me would think that was possible." He had strong words for the newspaper however: "The Post will stop at nothing—that's what The Post is. Their function is to denigrate people, humiliate people, reduce people, make excuses for people who are their political partisans. It's a highly biased, highly politicized group of people. However, I'm stunned that they would resort to that." He concluded, "Even for The Post, this is a new low." UPDATE: Here's the NY Post's story. \|\|\|\|\| Actor Alec Baldwin allegedly called a black Post photographer a racial epithet, a “crackhead” and a “drug dealer” during a confrontation on an East Village street yesterday morning, prompting police to intervene. Baldwin had first been approached by a Post reporter while walking his dogs outside his East 10th Street pad at around 10:50 a.m. He was asked for comment on a lawsuit against his wife, Hilaria, involving her work as a yoga instructor. The “30 Rock’’ star grabbed the reporter, Tara Palmeri, by her arm and told her, “I want you to choke to death,” Palmeri told police, for whom she played an audiotape of the conversation. He then called G.N. Miller — a decorated retired detective with the NYPD’s Organized Crime Control Bureau and a staff photographer for The Post — a “coon, a drug dealer,’’ Miller’s police statement said. At one point, Miller showed Baldwin ID to prove he’s a retired NYPD cop, which Baldwin dismissed as “fake.” Cops were called, and Miller, 56, and Baldwin, 54, both filed harassment claims against each other. Minutes later, Baldwin ranted on Twitter. “Thank u 2 NYPD officers who came to my home 2day so that I could file a formal complaint against NY Post “photographer’’ who assaulted me,’’ he tweeted. In another post, Baldwin referred to Miller, for unknown reasons, as “Ralston,” writing, “Moments after I tweet about the Post, Ralston, the ex-crackhead ‘photographer’ shows up at my door w 1 of Murdoch’s nieces in tow.” He added, “Ralston claims he’s ex NYPD!! That can’t be!!! Ex NYPD don’t become crackhead, ex jailhouse paparazzi!” The actor eventually removed most of the posts. Miller also said the actor bumped him in the chest during their tete-a-tete, although Baldwin told cops the photographer “pushed into him,’’ according to the actor’s complaint. Baldwin said he “asked [Miller] to keep his distance,’’ the complaint said. But Miller said Baldwin was the one getting “too aggressive,’’ so he showed him his retired-cop ID. Baldwin called the ID a “fake’’ and added Miller was a “crackhead” and a “drug dealer” who “just got out of jail,” Miller said. Baldwin also made “disparaging remarks’’ about Miller’s mother, the photographer said. As oblivious pedestrians walked by, Baldwin told him to “suck my d–k,” Miller said. Baldwin also walked up to random people — including a dad pushing his child in a stroller — and told them Miller was an ex-con and drug dealer, Miller said. “He was saying some serious racist stuff,” Miller said. “He said some choice words about my mother, and he was telling people in the street that I’m a drug dealer. “He could have said a lot of other stuff. But he used all of the stereotypes associated with black people.” Miller worked for the NYPD for nearly 15 years, spending most of his time in narcotics. Although both men made police reports, it’s a case of he said-he said because the incident did not happen in the presence of a police officer. Neither police complaint will go any further, except in possible civil action. Baldwin’s spokesman, Matthew Hiltzik, called Miller’s accusations “completely false.’’ Baldwin, through Hiltzik, denied making the racist remarks, adding, “That’s one of the most outrageous things I’ve heard in my life.’’ But Baldwin has a history of making inappropriate comments to photographers. Last June, the day before his wedding, Baldwin shouted to a black photographer on the street, “You gotta back up there Rodney.” The photographer’s name wasn’t Rodney.	– Is Alec Baldwin going down the Mel Gibson road? A New York Post reporter says that when she approached Baldwin yesterday morning while he was walking his dogs, he grabbed her by the arm and told her, "I want you to choke to death." He then allegedly called a black Post photographer who was with her a "coon," an "ex-con," and a "drug dealer." Reporter Tara Palmeri, who had been asking Baldwin about the yoga lawsuit recently filed against his wife, apparently got the encounter on tape and played it for police. The cops were called, and both Baldwin and the photographer, GN Miller, filed harassment claims against one another. Miller, who the Post identifies several times as a former NYPD detective, claimed Baldwin bumped him in the chest, while Baldwin claimed Miller "pushed into him." Humorous tidbit: The police report also claims Baldwin made "disparaging remarks" about Miller's mother. Baldwin talked to Gothamist about the encounter, calling it a "new low" for the Post and posing the following question about the supposed slur, "Why did the photographer make no mention of this when the cops showed up? Cops make rather good witnesses."
Story highlights United Airlines apologizes for the mix-up Irgo is headed back home today (CNN) United Airlines wrongly shipped a Kansas-bound pet dog to Japan, the second embarrassment this week for the airline and a "nightmare" for the Swindle family -- who are moving from Oregon to Wichita with their beloved pet, a 10-year-old German shepherd named Irgo. The ordeal began Tuesday when Kara Swindle went to retrieve Irgo at a United Airlines cargo facility in Kansas City. But Irgo was nowhere to be seen. In his place, she found a Great Dane that was supposed to be en route to Japan. The dogs had both been in Denver, where they were to catch connecting flights. Panic quickly set in over the fate of Irgo, who the Swindles adopted when he was 4 years old. "They had no idea where the dog was," Swindle said. "I burst into tears instantly because this has just all been a whirlwind. They didn't know (where Irgo was) until 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday when the plane landed in Japan." Swindle said Irgo -- who was flying for the first time -- had no water or food on the 16-plus hours flight to Japan. Irgo is suffering from an ear infection and hasn't had medication in three days, she said. Read More \|\|\|\|\| WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A dog who was mistakenly flown to Japan is back with his family in Kansas. The German Shepherd, named Irgo, arrived at a Wichita airport Thursday night after a flight on a private plane from Japan. Kara Swindle and her two children were flying on United Airlines from Oregon to Kansas City, Missouri, earlier this week during a move to Wichita, Kansas. When they went to pick up Irgo, they instead were given a Great Dane. United said in a statement that the dogs were somehow put on the wrong flights during a connecting flight in Denver. Swindle wouldn't say Thursday whether she is considering legal action. But she was pleased with United's efforts to return Irgo. She said the dog seemed healthy and happy to be home.	– A dog who was mistakenly flown to Japan is back with his family in Kansas. The 10-year-old German shepherd, named Irgo, arrived at a Wichita airport Thursday night after a flight on a private plane from Japan, the AP reports. Kara Swindle and her two children were flying on United Airlines from Oregon to Kansas City, Mo., earlier this week during a move to Wichita, Kan. When they went to pick up Irgo, however, they instead were given a Great Dane. "They had no idea where [Irgo] was," Swindle tells CNN. "I burst into tears instantly." Swindle says Irgo had no sustenance or anything to drink during his 16-hour journey; he also had to go without the medication he was taking for an ear infection during his worldwide travels. He was checked out in Japan, though, and deemed healthy enough to fly back home. United said in a statement that the dogs were somehow put on the wrong flights during a connecting flight in Denver. "We apologize for this mistake and are following up with the vendor kennel where they were kept overnight to understand what happened," the airline said in a statement. Irgo was reunited with Swindle and her family Thursday at the airport (video of the happy reunion can be see at Digg). Swindle wouldn't say whether she's considering legal action, per the AP. But she was pleased with United's efforts to return Irgo. She said the dog seemed healthy and happy to be home.
According to sources, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer will not be continuing with the new company that was announced today prematurely in a tweet by AOL CEO Tim Armstrong. The new Verizon-owned entity is called Oath — we’ll get to mocking that name later in the post — and is the combination of AOL and Yahoo. It will be headed by Armstrong, who is now apparently Oath-in-Chief. Terms of Mayer’s departure are still being worked through, but her not staying on is not much of a surprise. It will be interesting to see if she gets the full payout she is owed — tens of millions in severance and other kinds of remuneration that CEOs get larded into their contracts — after the recent hacking disaster and the general downturn in Yahoo’s business during her four-year tenure. AOL declined to comment, as did a Yahoo spokesperson. The discounted-from-$4.8 billion deal is expected to close some time in the next month, delayed due to the hacking issue and the financial and legal complexity it introduced into the closing. In addition, sources said that Armstrong is now close to making choices on which top Yahoo execs in Silicon Valley to keep and which to bid farewell to. Likely to stay, for example, is communications products head Jeff Bonforte, and likely to go is Adam Cahan, who has run a number of units under Mayer. On the bubble: CRO Lisa Utzschneider (she wants to be a CEO, apparently) and Enrique Muñoz Torres, who heads advertising and search product and engineering. CFO Ken Goldman is also departing, although on his own steam — as has been expected, since the Verizon-owned Oath is lousy with financial types in New York. I will get deets on all the other Mayer execs, who have not exactly covered themselves in glory at Yahoo over the last few years. Sources said that the leadership in Sunnyvale will be a mix of Yahoo and AOL execs and will focus on products and engineering for the entire combined company. It is also not clear if the Yahoo brand will continue, although I cannot imagine anyone dumping such a well-known global icon so easily, even if it has a new parent name. Which is Oath. Yes, Oath. A free Recode t-shirt for anyone who tweets the best joke about that new brand to me in the next 24 hours with the hashtag #MockTheOath. (No, Tim Armstrong, you cannot play.) By the way, Armstrong tweeted out the new name, which was doubtlessly going to be rolled out in a big PR extravaganza, because Business Insider got the scoop on the Oath moniker earlier today. \|\|\|\|\| AOL chief executive Tim Armstrong at Advertising Week New York 2016 John Lamparski/Getty Images When Verizon merges Yahoo with AOL after its acquisition of Yahoo closes, the newly created division will get a new name. That new name is Oath, sources tell Business Insider. In a deal that was announced in July, Verizon will acquire Yahoo's core internet business for about $4.8 billion in cash. Yahoo will be merged with Verizon's AOL unit under Marni Walden, the executive vice president and president of product innovation and new businesses, with Verizon scooping up Yahoo's search, mail, content, and ad-tech businesses. In January, Yahoo announced in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that after the close of the merger, the parts of Yahoo that Verizon is not buying — which includes Yahoo's 15% of the Chinese retail giant Alibaba and a part of Yahoo Japan, a joint venture with SoftBank — would continue under the name Altaba. It's unclear if the Yahoo name will live on for any part of the internet business that will be run by AOL. However, a big new branding campaign is expected in the coming weeks, along with more details about the new company. Yahoo declined to comment on the new name. While an AOL spokeswoman neither confirmed nor denied the new name, she told us to watch for the "launching" of the new company. "In the summer of 2017, you can bet we will be launching one of the most disruptive brand companies in digital," she said. The Yahoo-Verizon deal is supposed to close in the second quarter of 2017, perhaps on or before April 24. After April 24, the parties can seek a three-month extension, but there's also an opening for either party to terminate the deal. Update: AOL CEO Tim Armstrong confirmed the new name, posting on his Twitter account Monday afternoon: "Billion+ Consumers, 20+ Brands, Unstoppable Team. #TakeTheOath. Summer 2017." \|\|\|\|\| Tech companies have seen a few strange rebrandings over the years. Google's new corporate existence as Alphabet stands out, as does Hotmail's confusing transition into Outlook. But Yahoo has perhaps surpassed both with the name of its new corporate entity, which will go under the name "Oath" in future. Verizon, which agreed to buy Yahoo last year, has announced that Yahoo and AOL will come together under the new name in the coming weeks, once Verizon completes the $4.5bn (£3.6bn) acquisition. It is seen as an attempt to breathe new life into two brands that have both seen better days. AOL's boss Tim Armstrong confirmed the move, as well as introducing a very questionable slogan, #TakeTheOath. \|\|\|\|\| Today, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong triumphantly announced that, starting this summer, the merged operations of AOL and the acquired Internet business of Yahoo would transform into a new Verizon-owned megalith company. It shall be named... Oath. Perhaps the name comes from what Verizon executives swore after they heard about Yahoo's multiple data breaches. Or maybe it came from what many Yahoo employees have been uttering over the last year, as the companies wound their way through the acquisition process and accompanying layoffs. Or perhaps "Oath" came to mind when those same employees heard about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's proposed severance package. Apparently, Armstrong decided not to take our advice to name the unit "LOL OMG WTF" or "Event Verizon" (that second one may take a moment of thought to get). It is unlikely that all of the services under the consolidated organization will be changed as well. As Armstrong pointed out, the two organizations have more than 20 brands between them, beyond their flagship namesakes: AOL has the Huffington Post, Engadget, MovieFone, MapQuest (remember MapQuest?), TechCrunch, and a host of other media sites (plus AOL Instant Messenger); Yahoo has Tumblr, Flickr, and the video advertising business BrightRoll, and a host of media sites (plus Yahoo Messenger and Yahoo Fantasy Sports). All in all, they have over a billion "consumers" worldwide. Just how sticky those billion consumers will be after the merger is done and how many of those brands will survive the consolidation that follows, are open questions. Verizon's primary interest in Yahoo was around its mobile advertising platform, though the company had also shifted many of its Internet and mobile customers to Yahoo Mail for e-mail service. There's already some question about how many active daily users Yahoo really retains, since its free e-mail service only deletes users after six (or possibly more) months of inactivity. The service has been notably popular for "burner" e-mail accounts (such as the account used by the alleged Russian information ops identity Guccifer 2.0 on yahoo.fr). AOL has a similar problem with its AOL and AIM e-mail accounts—AOL's terms of service state that accounts will be terminated if they're inactive for over 90 days, but the AIM account I've had since 2011 was still active (though the mailbox had been purged). New corporate identities are always a tightrope-walk, and they often go awry—the Tribune Company's rebranding as Tronc, for example, or Yahoo's corporate parent becoming Altaba. But Oath is a special sort of bad. An oath is something you either take (an oath of allegiance, an oath of office, an oath of enlistment) or a blasphemous interjection. In the case of Oath the company, it may be more of an oath of acquiescence as Verizon's mobile and broadband customers sign their contracts. \|\|\|\|\| Add a location to your Tweets When you tweet with a location, Twitter stores that location. You can switch location on/off before each Tweet and always have the option to delete your location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| Ah, to be a corporate name consultant. Really, it doesn't seem that hard. Jam some random letters together (like Tronc) or just flip open your dictionary and point to the first word you see (we're getting to that). You're done, now collect your big check and go buy a beach house in Hawaii. On Monday, Verizon announced that it's creating a new media division called Oath, that will include AOL and Yahoo. Now, "oath" is a fine word, especially if you love "Game of Thrones," where Oathkeeper is Brienne of Tarth's sword. It can mean "a solemn promise," which is a good thing for a company to offer. But it can also mean, "a profane or offensive expression," which isn't exactly the first thing you want associated with your business. Not everyone loved the new name. Although it had its advantages. And conjured up some distinct pop culture images. Some had other ideas for what the name should have been. But really, the new name doesn't come close to that of The Media Company Formerly Known as Tribune Publishing. It's Complicated: This is dating in the age of apps. Having fun yet? These stories get to the heart of the matter. Batteries Not Included: The CNET team reminds us why tech is cool.	– If you merge the letters from AOL and Yahoo, take a few away, and add a "t," you have Oath, which is what Verizon is planning to call a new entity combining the two companies after its acquisition of Yahoo is complete. "Billion+ Consumers, 20+ Brands, Unstoppable Team," tweeted AOL chief Tim Armstrong on Monday, adding the hashtag #TakeTheOath. AOL says the new company will be "one of the most disruptive brands in digital" after it arrives this summer. The announcement brought plenty of speculation about what kind of future Oath will have—and plenty of poking fun at the name. A roundup: The new name is a "special kind of bad," writes Sean Gallagher at Ars Technica. "An oath is something you either take," like an oath of office, "or a blasphemous interjection," he writes. "In the case of Oath the company, it may be more of an oath of acquiescence as Verizon's mobile and broadband customers sign their contract." The 20 brands Armstrong referred to include the Huffington Post, Flickr, and Tumblr. It's not clear what parts of the business the Yahoo name might survive in, and a Yahoo spokeswoman declined to comment on the new name to Business Insider. The deal could be complete as soon as April 24. Twitter users had a lot of fun with the name, describing it as better suited to a German heavy metal band or "the name of a movie that stars Nicole Kidman as a troubled Puritan widow in 1600s Massachusetts," CNET reports. " The last 'oath' Yahoo took was to keep my email safe and WELLLLLL," tweeted Silicon Valley editor Casey Newton. Sources tell Recode that Marissa Mayer will have no role at the combined company. The blog is offering a free T-shirt to the author of the funniest joke under the #MockTheOath hashtag. Oath, an apparent attempt to breathe new life into both firms, is being called one of the worst rebrandings in corporate history, reports the Telegraph, though some critics say it is merely the worst since the Tribune Company became "tronc."
Some of the 13 siblings allegedly held captive by their parents in their California home are "starting to make plans for their future," Corona Mayor Karen Spiegel told ABC News today. Interested in California Captivity Case? Add California Captivity Case as an interest to stay up to date on the latest California Captivity Case news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest "Their minds are just being opened," she said, to "having a choice and not being so controlled." The young adult victims are now "getting up and making the day happen for themselves, getting out of bed and deciding what they want to eat." David Allen Turpin/ Facebook "They're starting from very elementary stuff," she said, but have "progressed very, very well." David and Louise Turpin are accused of abusing their children, including in some cases allegedly forcing them to shower only once a year, shackling them and beating them routinely, prosecutors said. The victims weren't released from their chains even to go to the bathroom, according to prosecutors. When found last month, the children hadn't been to a doctor in over four years and had never been to a dentist, prosecutors said. David Allen Turpin/ Facebook The Turpins were arrested in January after the couple’s 17-year-old daughter escaped the home and alerted authorities. All the children except for the youngest, a toddler, were severely malnourished, prosecutors said. The eldest victim -- a 29-year-old woman -- weighed only 82 pounds when rescued. David and Louise Turpin have each been charged with 12 counts of torture, 12 counts of false imprisonment, seven counts of abuse of a dependent adult and six counts of child abuse. David Turpin was also charged with one count of a lewd act on a child under the age of 14 by force, fear or duress. They have pleaded not guilty. The Turpins made a brief appearance in court today, where neither spoke. They will return for a settlement conference hearing set for March 23. Three additional charges of abuse were filed against both David and Louise Turpin today, and one new count of felony assault was filed against just Louise Turpin. They pleaded not guilty to all new charges. Gina Ferazzi, Pool via Getty Images Frederic J. Brown, Pool via Getty Images Meanwhile, the siblings are recovering in hospitals. The adult victims have Skyped with their younger siblings as they have been separated to two different hospitals, Spiegel said, adding that they have put on weight. Some of the siblings "didn't really know what a toothbrush was used for," Spiegel said. Some of the victims had never had shoes, Spiegel said, recounting how when one boy was given his first shoes, they were too tight, but he wouldn't relinquish them until a bigger pair arrived because he was scared he would never get shoes back. Spiegel described the young adult victims as "so loving and warm and affectionate," and said they appreciate the "things we take for granted." Damian Dovarganes/Pool via Reuters ABC News' Alyssa Pone contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| The 13 Turpin siblings gained their freedom last month after one of them escaped through a window and called 911, ending years of imprisonment under parents accused of starving and chaining them to their beds in a putrid home not far from Los Angeles. But investigators warned that gaining the trust of the socially stunted siblings would be a protracted process: They were accustomed to beatings and hadn’t been to a dentist or doctor in years. When police officers stormed into the house, freeing the remaining chained Turpin children, the captives had no concept of what a police officer was. “Victims in these kinds of cases, they tell their story, but they tell it slowly; they tell it at their own pace,” Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin told the Associated Press last month. “It will come out when it comes out.” As the Turpin children grow to trust their liberators, court officials said, they might open up more — and possibly reveal more about life in the Southern California house. Prosecutors on Friday said that as a result of the ongoing investigation, they have charged David Allen Turpin and Louise Anna Turpin, who are married, each with three additional charges of child abuse, according to the Los Angeles Times. Louise Turpin has also been charged with felony assault. In total, Louise and David Turpin each face about 40 charges, including a dozen counts of torture and another dozen counts of false imprisonment. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and continue to be held on $12 million bail apiece in a jail in Riverside, Calif. Last month, a Riverside judge barred the parents from contacting the children for the next three years, including by phone or electronically. They can’t be within 100 yards of their children or attempt to get their addresses, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Their lawyers could not be reached for comment Saturday. Authorities said the children, for reasons still unclear, were starved for years and held captive in a dirty, smelly house in Perris, Calif. If they misbehaved, they were tied to their beds as punishment — first with a rope and later, after one wriggled free, with chains and padlocks — and were kept from using the bathroom, prosecutors said. David and Louise Turpin, the parents who allegedly held their 13 children captive, appear in court Friday in Riverside, Calif. (Gina Ferazzigina /AFP/Getty Images) Publicly, the Turpins appeared to be a big, busy, happy family. At a Christmas decorating contest two years ago, Louise Turpin gleefully talked about her expansive family and was even talking about having a 14th child, according to the Los Angeles Times. Their children wore matching outfits in smile-filled photos of family outings. Louise and David Turpin had renewed their wedding vows at least three times in their 33 years of marriage. The most recent was in 2015, when the couple slow-danced to “Can’t Help Falling In Love” sung by an Elvis impersonator. Their daughters attended the wedding wearing matching purple plaid dresses with ribbon belts; their sons wore identical black suits and red ties. “She would tell us the kids are doing great. She was real busy home-schooling,” Louise’s brother, Billy Lambert, told People magazine. “She told us David was making two or three hundred thousand [dollars] a year, so we thought they had this awesome life and always going on trips.” [ A look at the lives of 13 siblings held captive in a house full of chains — and what comes next ] But the reality was different, authorities say. Records show that the Turpins were thousands of dollars in debt. They filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy at least twice — in 1992 in Fort Worth and in 2011 in Riverside. Court documents say David Turpin made about $140,000 as an engineer, while his wife stayed at home. The family had also lived in Murrieta, Calif., where neighbor Mike Clifford said he often spotted the children through a window on the second floor at night. They would march in circles, over and over, for long periods of time, he told the Times. “It was kind of strange, [but] there was never anything to say, ‘Oh, my God. I should call somebody,’ ” said Clifford, who did not immediately return a call from The Washington Post. A man who said he attended elementary school in Fort Worth with one of the Turpin daughters remembered a frail girl who wore the same dirty purple outfit every day and tied her hair with a Hershey’s bar wrapper — the girl “nobody wanted to be caught talking to.” But the only ones who truly knew what went on inside the home were the Turpins and their children, ages 2 to 29. The eldest weighed just 89 pounds when she was rescued. Others had been seeking to end their imprisonment. The emaciated teen who shimmied through the window had been plotting her escape for two years. Now the Turpin children have strikingly different lives. They’re receiving medical and rehabilitative care at various facilities, and have been exposed to iPads and Harry Potter books, entertainment and technology they had been deprived of, according to People magazine. “They are progressing well, and looking into the future, seeing where their lives could go — and they have the support system,” Corona Mayor Karen Spiegel, who works closely with the siblings’ nurses, told People. “They have the whole community behind them.” Read more: The last U.S. slave ship was burned to hide its horrors. A storm may have unearthed it. ‘I snapped’: A suspect’s words about the death of a teen who named her killers before she died A serial killer’s chilling message: There are more victims. A sex offender was released on parole. Weeks later, authorities say, he raped a 7-year-old girl. \|\|\|\|\| Riverside, California (CNN) David Turpin and Louise Turpin, the California couple accused of holding their 13 children captive and torturing all but one, are facing additional charges, a prosecution spokesman said Friday. Riverside County District Attorney spokesman John Hall told reporters after a brief court hearing that each Turpin is facing three additional counts of child abuse. An additional felony assault charge has been lodged against Louise Turpin. "Further investigation led us to this," Hall said. Both defendants appeared before the judge in suits, the husband in gray, the wife in navy blue. David Turpin's hair appeared to be trimmed and neater around the collar. The next court date in the case is March 23, to go over the status of proceedings. May 14 has been set aside tentatively for the preliminary hearing. Lawyers for the Turpins walked away briskly, with David Macher, David Turpin's attorney, answering a string of questions with "I can't comment on that." He reiterated that both clients pleaded not guilty to the new charges and that "a lot of evidence" exists, likely postponing the preliminary hearing. Louise Turpin talks with attorney Jeff Moore during Friday's court proceedings. The Turpins allegedly shackled some of their children to beds in a nondescript Riverside County home that doubled as the private Sandcastle Day School But the home school with the inviting name concealed a life of horror and abuse, where the children were beaten and starved, chained to their beds for weeks at a time and allowed to shower once a year, according to Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. The parents, who lived in Perris, have pleaded not guilty to more than 40 charges, including torture, false imprisonment, abuse of a dependent adult and child abuse. David Turpin also pleaded not guilty to one count of lewd conduct with a minor. JUST WATCHED DA reveals disturbing details from Turpin family investigation Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH DA reveals disturbing details from Turpin family investigation 01:50 The Turpins are accused of beating and choking some of their children, who are between 2 and 29 years old. Prosecutors have not alleged the 2-year-old was tortured. The couple allegedly deprived the children of water and fed them small portions of food on a strict schedule. The 29-year-old weighed just 82 pounds and the other children are so thin they look younger than their ages, authorities said. Before Friday's developments, officials said the Turpins could face a maximum sentence of between 94 years and life in prison, so the new charges do not. The disturbing case has moved people around the world to donate about $570,000 to support the children's medical expenses and education, according to Erin Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Riverside University Health System. "In cases like this there are long-term needs like behavioral health, housing, scholarships, educational support, tutors and medical needs," she said. JUST WATCHED Classmate: Turpin child was bullied in school Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Classmate: Turpin child was bullied in school 05:19 A fund launched by the hospital, where the younger siblings were treated, has collected $370,000, including $38,000 from the city of Perris, Phillips said. A fundraiser started by the Corona Chamber of Commerce has received about $200,000 in monetary donations after collecting enough clothing, hygiene items and toys to meet the immediate needs of the siblings. "It's been amazing the outpouring of love and sentiments," Phillips said. "It reminds us there is so much light in this world in contrast to such a dark case." A state court judge last month barred the Turpins from directly contacting their children and other potential witnesses in the case for the next three years. The Turpins are still in custody. A judge set bail at $12 million for each defendant. The charges against the couple cover the time the Turpins lived in Riverside County, from 2010 to the present. JUST WATCHED Surveillance shows Turpin siblings' escape Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Surveillance shows Turpin siblings' escape 01:05 The process to terminate parental rights will be determined in dependency court, and birth parents have the right to contest the termination, officials have said. The horrid living conditions the children were subjected to led one sibling, a 17-year-old girl, to escape through a window of the family home last month. She called 911 from a deactivated cellphone she found in the house. She had planned her escape for more than two years. The only thing the homeschooled children were allowed to do while in their rooms was write in journals, Hestrin said. Hundreds of the notebooks are being examined for evidence against the parents. Caleb Mason, an attorney for the older Turpin siblings, said Friday that "our clients are doing very well in their recovery." "We are grateful for the extraordinary generosity and goodwill of the many people who have gone above and beyond to help them," Mason said in a statement.	– Two California parents already facing dozens of charges for allegedly keeping their 13 children captive and torturing all but the youngest are now facing even more charges, CNN reports. A spokesperson for the Riverside County District Attorney announced Friday three more counts of child abuse against both Louise and David Turpin and a new felony assault charge against Louise. A lawyer for the Turpins says the couple has pleaded not guilty to the new counts. The charges were the result of continuing investigation into the Turpins. According to the Washington Post, investigators say it will be a long process for the 13 Turpin siblings—ages 2 to 29 years—to learn to trust authorities. But as that happens, the siblings could reveal details about their lives that may lead to further charges against their parents. Authorities say the Turpin siblings were beaten, starved, chained to their beds, only allowed to shower once a year, and more. The Turpins were arrested in January after a child escaped. Karen Spiegel, mayor of Corona, tells ABC News the siblings are being kept in two separate hospitals but communicating through Skype. She says "their minds are just being opened" and they're "starting to make plans for their future" for the first time. For some, it's their first experience owning shoes or being able to choose what they eat. Spiegel says some of the siblings "didn't really know what a toothbrush was for." More than $570,000 has been donated to the siblings' medical expenses and education. "In cases like this there are long-term needs like behavioral health, housing, scholarships, educational support, tutors, and medical needs," a hospital spokesperson says.
Kevin Millwood and five relievers combined on the third no-hitter in Seattle Mariners history, a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. The no-hitter was the fourth in the majors this season, joining gems pitched by the Angels' Jered Weaver, the Mets' Johan Santana and White Sox right-hander Philip Humber, who threw a perfect game at Seattle in April. But this one was the least conventional, tying the record for most pitchers in a no-hitter. "Those guys got all the tough outs," Millwood said. "First six, it is what it is. I've seen a lot of people do that. From seven, eight, nine — those guys got all those outs and that was special to see." Exactly a week after Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history, Millwood cruised through six innings, giving up only a walk. But after throwing his first warmup pitch for the seventh he felt a twinge in his groin and was pulled. Seattle's bullpen never wavered, finishing the no-hitter when Tom Wilhelmsen retired Andre Ethier on a routine grounder to second base that ended a 1-2-3 ninth inning. "That was unbelievable. I've never been a part of anything like that with that many guys coming in and keeping the no-hitter intact," said Kyle Seager, who drove in Ichiro Suzuki with a two-out single in the seventh. The Dodgers nearly got a hit when speedy Dee Gordon led off the ninth with a slow roller to shortstop. Brendan Ryan, who had just entered as a defensive replacement, charged in and fired to first, where umpire Ted Barrett called Gordon out on a bang-bang play. Gordon and manager Don Mattingly argued. Replays were inconclusive. Elian Herrera then lined out to Ryan before Ethier's grounder ended the first no-hitter for the Mariners since Chris Bosio pitched one against Boston on April 22, 1993. Seattle's other no-hitter was thrown by Randy Johnson against Detroit on June 2, 1990. "I just tried to block it out, stay within myself and execute pitches," Wilhelmsen said after earning his third save. "How tremendous was that, man?" It was the 10th combined no-hitter in big league history and the first since six Astros accomplished the feat at Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003. Roy Oswalt started that interleague game for Houston but left two pitches into the second inning with a strained right groin. The 37-year-old Millwood, who spent much of last season in the minors, threw a no-hitter all his own for the Philadelphia Phillies against San Francisco on April 27, 2003. After the final out of this one, catcher Jesus Montero ran around with his arms in the air and jumped into Wilhelmsen's arms for a somewhat-awkward celebration. But this was no ordinary feat: The Dodgers entered with the best record in the majors and the second-highest batting average in the National League. "This was a lot better than having it against you, that's for sure," said Seager, whose brother Corey was selected by the Dodgers in the first round of Monday's amateur draft. Millwood came out to warm up before the seventh when the game took an odd turn. He threw one warmup pitch and stopped himself from throwing a second as he felt something wrong. Mariners manager Eric Wedge and trainer Rick Griffin came out to check on Millwood, who was replaced by Charlie Furbush. It was later announced that Millwood had a mild right groin strain. The right-hander, who struck out six and threw 68 of Seattle's 114 pitches, said he actually felt it on the next-to-last pitch of the sixth. Furbush retired Gordon to start the seventh, but committed a two-base throwing error on Herrera's grounder, giving the Dodgers their first scoring chance. Furbush struck out Ethier, and Wedge went to hard-throwing rookie Stephen Pryor (1-0) to face Juan Rivera. Rivera went down on strikes but Pryor started the eighth by walking Bobby Abreu and Jerry Hairston Jr. on nine pitches. Lucas Luetge was next in line and got the first out of the inning on James Loney's sacrifice bunt. That brought up A.J. Ellis and Seattle turned to one-time closer Brandon League, recently demoted from that role. League got Ellis to hit a sinking liner to left and defensive replacement Chone Figgins made a running catch. His strong throw home kept pinch-runner Alex Castellanos at third base. League then struck out Tony Gwynn Jr. to end the inning. "Really, I had visions of winning that game without a hit," Mattingly said. "First and second, I'm thinking wild pitch, sac fly. With League in the game, that split, you never know." The previous no-hitter against the Dodgers was thrown by Atlanta's Kent Mercker on April 8, 1994. Weaver and Jose Arredondo combined to hold the Dodgers hitless for eight innings in a 1-0 Dodgers win in 2008, but that game doesn't count as a no-hitter under the rules baseball adopted in 1991 because the Angels only had to pitch eight innings. Seattle's run came in the seventh inning thanks to a two-out rally started by Suzuki's infield single. He stole second, Dustin Ackley walked and Seager came through with his 23rd two-out RBI of the season. His line-drive single off reliever Scott Elbert (0-1) glanced off the glove of a leaping Gordon and dropped in left field. Millwood also took a no-hitter into the sixth inning May 18 at Colorado and finished with a two-hitter. He retired his first 12 batters Friday before a leadoff walk to Rivera in the fifth. The closest the Dodgers came to a hit off Millwood was Gordon's bunt leading off the fourth. Seager ran in from third for a fine barehanded pickup and threw out Gordon by a half-step. "At that point of the game, it was still so early," Seager said. NOTES: Seattle ace Felix Hernandez has been pushed back and will start Tuesday against San Diego. Hernandez has been bothered by a sore back. ... It was the Dodgers' fourth game in Seattle and first since 2000. ... It was Pryor's first major league win. \|\|\|\|\| SEATTLE -- For the briefest moment Friday night, Tom Wilhelmsen did not realize just how great the greatest moment in his career was. It didn't really sink in until catcher Jesus Montero was leaping into his arms. "I told him, 'Man, you threw a no-hitter!'" Montero said. "And he didn't know! Unbelievable." Well, in WIlhelmsen's defense, he was the sixth pitcher of the night for the Mariners. "Well, I mean, I knew what was going on. But no, I have a brain fart every so often and just focused so hard on getting one thing done," Wilhelmsen said. "It's not like you forget, but it's like you put it off to the side. And then it's like, 'Holy cow, we just did it,' and Montero is in my arms. And then it's, 'Holy Cow, we just did it!' 'HOLY COW, WE JUST DID IT!' Something like that. "It's there; it just takes a minute to get it, pick it out and place it in." Wilhelmsen wasn't the only one who needed time to take everything in. Brendan Ryan, a ninth-inning replacement at shortstop, said it took awhile for the rest of the Mariners to realize six Seattle pitchers had just combined to throw a 1-0 no-hitter against the Dodgers, the team with the best record in baseball. "Coming into the ninth, it wasn't really on my mind. What was on my mind was preserving that 1-0 lead we fought so hard to get," said Ryan, who helped preserve both with a slick fielding play on Dee Gordon's grounder in the ninth. "We were just trying to get the W. It kind of took five seconds or so to sink in. 'Wait a minute. Wait a minute. There were no hits. That's a no-hitter!'" Kevin Millwood (six innings) and five Mariners relievers combined to throw the fourth no-hitter of the season. Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images Well, it's not surprising this combined six-pitcher no-hitter took so long to sink in. After all, it was as delightfully unrealistic and unpredictable as baseball gets. Consider this: The man who started it (Kevin Millwood) is a 37-year-old journeyman who watched the final three innings on TV in the clubhouse while undergoing treatment for a sore groin. He didn't even get the win because the game was still tied at 0 when he left. The winning pitcher (Stephen Pryor) is a 22-year-old rookie who was in Triple-A Tacoma the last time the Mariners played a game in Seattle. And the reliever on the mound at the end (Wilhelmsen) is a former bartender. Man, baseball is great, isn't it? Millwood threw a 1-0 no-hitter with the Phillies in 2003, but he is with his ninth organization in the past decade and spent four months of last season pitching in the minors for two different teams. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against Colorado on May 18, then allowed only a walk in the first six innings Friday. But he left the game with a sore groin while warming up for the seventh inning and spent the last part of the no-hitter wearing an ice pack. "In the seventh and part of the eighth, I still wasn't having much fun," he said. "But to see it just continue and continue, and Brandon League got a couple of big outs for us, and when Tom came in, I think we were all pretty excited in here." After Charlie Furbush recorded the first two outs, Pryor earned his first major league win in a no-hitter -- how many people can say that? -- by retiring one batter in the top of the seventh. After Seattle took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Pryor promptly walked the first two batters in the eighth. Out went Pryor, and in came rookie Lucas Luetge, who retired the only batter he faced on a sacrifice bunt. That brought in League, who has pitched so poorly this year that he lost the closer role last week. This time, he bailed his team out of a second-and-third, one-out mess. Then Wilhelmsen came in to pitch the ninth. Three years ago, Wilhelmsen was a bartender in Tucson, Ariz., who had been out of baseball for five seasons. He was moved into the closer role so recently that he earned his first save last week and still hasn't asked for special walk-up music. But he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to complete the second six-pitcher no-hitter in major league history. Of course, the no-hitter didn't register for Wilhelmsen until Montero took a running start to leap into his arms. "I was so just in tune to getting the out and getting the W that for a moment I forgot to relax and accept this no-hitter," Wilhelmsen said. "Once he was up and excited, it turned my buttons a little bit." Defense is not considered Montero's strong suit -- he has been a designated hitter more often than he has been behind the plate this year -- but the rookie can boast that he helped guide six pitchers to a no-hitter. "At my age, 22 years old, that was my dream, to catch a no-hitter," Montero said. "Thank God I had it. I was praying. I was praying behind the plate. I wanted those guys to hit a ground ball so we could have a no-hitter. And then we got it." And now that they had it, the question was what to do. After all, how do you divide up a game ball for six pitchers? "I don't know the protocol on that," Wilhelmsen said. "Do I keep it? Do I give it to Millwood? Do I give it to the team? Does it belong in the clubhouse?" "I hope we've got a bunch of them so we can all have at least one," Millwood said. "I don't know who gets it, but it's not going to be me. One of those guys deserves it more than me. Like I said, the first six [innings], we've seen that done a lot of times, but getting those last nine outs is a lot tougher."	– Nine pitchers can now say they've thrown no-hitters this year, and six of them joined the club in one game last night. A half-dozen pitchers for the Seattle Mariners tied a league record by combining on a 1-0 win over the Dodgers, reports the Post-Intelligencer. Kevin Millwood threw the first six innings but had to leave with a groin injury. Relievers Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Lucas Luetge, Brandon League, and Tom Wilhelmsen took over. As Jim Caple of ESPN notes, the fact that it was a no-hitter didn't immediately register with Wilhelmsen after the final out.
The Nigerian man accused of trying to use a bomb hidden in his underwear to bring down a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day has been cooperating with investigators since last week and provided fresh intelligence in multiple terrorism investigations, officials said Tuesday. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's cooperation could prove to be a national security victory and a political vindication for President Barack Obama, who has been under fire from lawmakers who contend the administration botched the case by giving Abdulmutallab the right to remain silent, rather than interrogating him as a military prisoner. In the days following the failed bombing, a pair of FBI agents flew to Nigeria and persuaded Abdulmutallab's family to help them. When the agents returned to the U.S., Abdulmutallab's family came, too, according to a senior administration official briefed on the case who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. FBI officials continue to question Abdulmutallab, working in collaboration with CIA and other intelligence authorities, the official said. Authorities had hoped to keep Abdulmutallab's cooperation secret while they continued to investigate his leads, but details began to trickle out during testimony Tuesday on Capitol Hill. In a terse exchange, FBI Director Robert Mueller appeared to confirm that Abdulmutallab is now talking with investigators. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., asked Mueller: "It is also my understanding that Mr. Abdulmutallab has provided valuable information. Is that correct? "Yes," Mueller replied. "Thank you," Feinstein said, "and that the interrogation continues despite the fact that he has been Mirandized?" "Yes," Mueller said. He explained that Abdulmutallab did talk to FBI agents after he was arrested on Christmas Day, speaking freely until he went into surgery for burns on his legs. Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair also confirmed that authorities continued to get intelligence in Abdulmutallab's case. In Detroit, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade declined to comment. A message seeking comment was left with Abdulmutallab's lawyer, Miriam Siefer. \|\|\|\|\| The “underwear bomber” has begun cooperating with FBI counterterrorism agents and has provided “useful, current” intelligence, a law enforcement source told POLITICO on Tuesday. The Obama administration has been criticized for reading Miranda rights to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspect in the fizzled airborne bombing attempt on Christmas Day. The suspect, now being held in a federal prison outside Detroit, was questioned by the FBI for 50 minutes on the day of the attack, then was read his rights. “Since then, the FBI and Justice Department have been pressing him to cooperate,” the source said. “It started last week, and has continued for several days. The information has been active, useful, and we have been following up. The intelligence is not stale. He certainly sees that there are incentives provided by the criminal justice system to cooperate.” Such incentives can include a reduced prison sentence. The suspect has provided information that the U.S. has followed up overseas.	– The so-called “underwear bomber” is now cooperating with US authorities, who have acted upon the “useful, current” information Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has given them, sources tell Politico. Abdulmutallab is said to have clammed up when he was given his Miranda rights less than an hour into questioning after his attempted Christmas attack—a move for which the Obama administration was roasted—but now the Nigerian “certainly sees that there are incentives provided by the criminal justice system to cooperate.” Abdulmutallab's family has played a factor in the turnaround, a source tells the AP, after FBI agents traveled to Nigeria seeking their help. In fact, family members returned with the agents to the US and were key in persuading the 23-year-old.
Razieh Ebrahimi was forced to marry at the age of 14, became a mother at 15, and killed her husband at 17. Now at 21, she is on Iran's death row. Ebrahimi, who shot dead her husband while he was sleeping, faces imminent execution, despite international laws prohibiting execution for crimes committed by juveniles. Human Rights Watch, has urged Iran's judiciary to halt the execution. Earlier this week, Ebrahimi's lawyer also asked judges to consider a retrial, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. "I married our neighbour's son when I was only 14 because my dad insisted," Ebrahimi was quoted as telling officials working on her case, according to Mehr. "My dad insisted I should marry him because he was educated and was working as a teacher. I was 15 when I gave birth to my child." Her child is believed to be now six years old. "I didn't know who I am or what is life all about," she said soon after being arrested. "My husband mistreated me. He used any excuse to insult me, even attacking me physically." Ebrahimi is said to have admitted to killing her husband with his own gun before burying him in the garden. Ebrahimi initially told the police her husband was missing but her own father found the dead body and gave her in to the police. Iran is signatory to the international convenant of civil and political rights (ICCPR) which prohibits death penalty for convicts if their act of crime is committed while they were under the age of 18. HRW called on the judiciary, which is independent of the Iranian government, to reverse its decision. "Every time an Iranian judge issues a death sentence for a child offender like Ebrahimi, he should remember he is in flagrantly violating his legal responsibilities to administer justice fairly and equitably," said HRW's Joe Stork. "Iran's judiciary should reverse its execution order of a battered child bride." Althought a death penalty for Ebrahimi was handed down by the judges, her victim's family have until the very last minute to pardon her, a decision they have so far refused. Under Iranian law the victim's family have a final say over the death penalty. In April an Iranian mother pardoned the man who had killed her sonjust moments before he was to be executed. Samereh Alinejad's act of forgiveness, has since inspired dozens of other families across Iran to pardon convicts at last minute. Iran's judicial authorities have previously denied accusations of juvenile executions, but according to HRW, the country has executed at least 10 juvenile offenders since 2009. The dispute appears to arise from Iran's own definition of a juvenile. The country does not provide a clear distinction between the age of majority – when minors cease to legally be considered children – and the minimum age of criminal responsibility, which is 15 for boys and nine for girls under Iranian law. Under the current civil code, girls can marry at 13 and boys at 15, HRW said. In 2013, Iran and Iraq were responsible for more than two-thirds of the executions that happened worldwide, according to Amnesty. Iran says most of its executions are related to drug-offences. Shadi Sadr, a London-based Iranian lawyer with the rights group Justice for Iran, told the Guardian that the case against Razieh Ebrahimi - also known as Maryan - underlined a hidden social and legal issue in Iran. "Forced girl marriage in Iran is a hidden social and legal issue," she said. "However, it should be noted that Maryam Ebrahimi's case is not a unique case at all. This March, for instance, Farzaneh Moradi, 28, was executed for murdering her husband. She was forced to marriage at 15, gave birth at 16, fell in love with another man at 19 and was accused of murdering her husband at 20." She added: "Women such as Maryam or Farzaneh, who are forced to marriage at childhood, are actually being raped constantly under the name of marriage. While they should go to school at that age, they are instead experiencing a life full of violence with no legal support. They eventually kill themselves or their husbands to end this vicious circle." Sadr said Justice for Iran's research shows in 2012 alone, 1,537 girls under the age of of 10 and 29,827 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 were registered for marriage in Iran. • This article was amended on 20 June 2014 to clarify that Razieh Ebrahami is also known as Maryam. \|\|\|\|\| (Beirut) – Iran’s judiciary should halt the execution of a woman convicted of murdering her husband when she was 17. The woman, who has admitted to shooting her husband while he was asleep, was married at 14 and is the mother of a 6 year old. Authorities have announced that she is at imminent risk of execution. International law strictly prohibits the execution of child offenders. Authorities arrested Razieh Ebrahimi – also referred to as “Maryam” in the local press – four years ago after she shot her husband in the head as he was sleeping and buried his body in the backyard, a source familiar with her case told Human Rights Watch. Ebrahimi, who is in prison in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, admitted guilt but expressed remorse. She said she snapped after several years of physical and verbal abuse by her husband. “Every time an Iranian judge issues a death sentence for a child offender like Ebrahimi, he should remember he is flagrantly violating his legal responsibilities to administer justice fairly and equitably,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director. “Iran’s judiciary should reverse its execution order of a child bride who says she was battered.” A criminal court convicted Ebrahimi of murder and sentenced her to death. Iran’s judiciary rejected Ebrahimi’s request for a retrial despite the fact that she was under 18 when she committed the murder. In early 2013, new amendments to the penal code went into effect, strictly prohibiting the execution of child offenders for certain categories of crimes, including drug-related offenses. No such prohibition exists, however, for children convicted of murder and a host of other crimes for which the punishments are fixed under Sharia law, including adultery and sodomy. Under article 91 of the amended code, a judge may sentence a boy who is 15 or older or a girl who is 9 or older to death for these crimes if he determines that the child understood the nature and consequences of the crime. The article allows the court to rely on “the opinion of a forensic doctor or other means it deems appropriate” to establish whether a defendant understood the consequences of their actions. Under Iranian law, in murder cases, the victim’s survivors retain the right to claim retribution in kind, to pardon the killer, or to accept compensation in exchange for giving up the right to claim retribution. The husband’s family has refused to pardon Ebrahimi. A source familiar with Ebrahimi’s case told Human Rights Watch that prison authorities attempted earlier to carry out her execution, but when she informed them that she was 17 when she killed her husband they returned her to her cell. The source said that following recent changes to Iran’s penal code the lawyer requested a retrial from the Supreme Court on the basis that she had been under 18 and did not understand the consequences of her actions, but the court refused. In an interview with an Iranian online magazine, Ebrahimi’s lawyer, Hassan Aghakhani, said that various branches of the Supreme Court have applied article 91 differently, and he hoped the judiciary could at the very least suspend his client’s execution until all branches of the court applied the article uniformly. Since 2009, Iran has executed at least 10 child offenders, making it the country with the world’s highest number of child executions. In 2014 alone there have been at least three unofficial reports of authorities executing child offenders for murder and rape charges, despite increasing international and domestic pressure on Iran to end the practice. Human Rights Watch is investigating these cases to determine whether those executed were, in fact, child offenders. Iran is one of only four countries known to have executed juvenile offenders in the past five years; the others are Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, as well as Hamas authorities in Gaza. Iran is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which bans execution of child offenders. Since 2010, numerous UN rights experts and bodies, including UN experts, the Human Rights Council, and the Human Rights Committee have strongly condemned Iran’s execution of child offenders. In 2012 Human Rights Watch called on the Iranian government to amend its penal code to impose an absolute prohibition on the death penalty for child offenders. Human Rights Watch has also called on Iran’s judiciary to impose a moratorium on all executions in the country due to serious concerns regarding substantive and due process violations leading to the implementation of the death penalty. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances because it is an inherently irreversible, inhumane punishment. Under the Iranian Civil Code girls can marry at 13 and boys at 15. They can marry younger with the consent of their legal guardians and a competent court. International human rights standards recommend 18 as the minimum age for marriage. Child marriages violate many human rights, including education, freedom from violence, reproductive rights, access to reproductive and sexual health care, employment, freedom of movement, and consensual marriage. The statements of the children and women Human Rights Watch has interviewed in several countries illustrate the profoundly detrimental impact on their physical and mental well-being, and their ability to live free of violence. “Iran’s judiciary should prove its commitment to protecting children – the most vulnerable members of its population – by calling a halt to death sentences for child offenders,” Stork said.	– Human Rights Watch is trying to raise pressure on judges in Iran to call off the execution of a 21-year-old woman who killed her husband four years ago. Razieh Ebrahimi’s father forced her to marry a neighbor at age 14, and she gave birth to a child at age 15. She said she suffered physical and emotional abuse until, at age 17, she killed her husband with his own gun as he slept. The law defining a juvenile is murky in Iran, reports the Guardian, but HRW says Ebrahimi qualifies and thus shouldn’t be executed. Besides, says the lawyer for another rights group, young girls forced to wed “are actually being raped constantly under the name of marriage.” They should be in school, not living a “life full of violence with no legal support,” she says. “They eventually kill themselves or their husbands to end this vicious circle." No date is set for the execution, but if the HRW campaign fails, it’s possible that the victim’s family could save Ebrahimi by asking for a last-minute pardon. The practice is allowed in the country, as was dramatically demonstrated in April.
Federal authorities and airline officials are investigating the odd flight of baggage handler who wound up in the cargo hold of a plane for more than 300 miles. The Federal Aviation Administration said it hoped to talk to the man on Tuesday. The agency said it would determine whether the man's cargo-loading company followed proper procedures to make sure that all employees were out of the cargo hold before the doors were closed and the plane took off. The man was found unharmed after the United Express flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, landed Sunday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. The cargo hold was temperature-controlled and pressurized, United Airlines spokeswoman Erin Benson said. The Embraer jet was in the air for about 80 minutes and reached an altitude of 27,000 feet, according to the FlightAware tracking service. The plane was operated for United by Mesa Airlines, but the bag handler works for a Mesa contractor, G2 Secure Staff, Benson said. Neither Phoenix-based Mesa nor G2, which is based in Irving, Texas, responded immediately to phone and email messages. Rob Yingling, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, said that medics met the plane when it arrived Sunday afternoon but determined that the baggage handler did not need treatment. Dulles Airport police conducted a brief investigation. Since the man had proper identification as a Charlotte airport employee and was not charged with a crime, he was released, Yingling said. The Washington Post identified the bag handler as Reginald Gaskin, and said it reached him by telephone. "I thank God. He was with me," he told the newspaper, then said a lawyer advised him not to say more. This isn't the first time an airport worker has wound up flying in a cargo hold. In 2015, an Alaska Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Seattle after pilots and passengers heard someone banging on the cargo hold beneath them after takeoff. The man said he had fallen asleep while loading bags — also in a pressurized part of the cargo hold. Menzies Aviation, the contractor who employed the man, said he had broken their rules by napping in the plane. There have also been stowaways. In 2014, a teenage boy flew in the wheel well of a Hawaiian Airlines jet from California to Hawaii, surviving thin air and freezing temperatures. The boy said he hopped a fence at the airport in San Jose to reach the plane. He was spotted wandering the airfield after the plane landed. Safety experts say such incidents should prompt airlines to improve security procedures. They say crews should not close the cargo doors until everyone is accounted for. \|\|\|\|\| A baggage handler was locked inside an airplane’s cargo area during a 1.5-hour flight from North Carolina to Northern Virginia on Sunday. A United Airlines spokeswoman said Monday that the airline was looking into how it had happened. The baggage handler, Reginald Gaskin, 45, was unharmed. Reached by The Washington Post on Monday night, Gaskin declined to discuss how he wound up inside the plane. He said he had been advised by an attorney not to discuss the matter. Gaskin only said: “I thank God. He was with me.” United Express Flight 6060, operated by Mesa Airlines, took off from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport just before 3 p.m. Sunday and landed at Washington Dulles International Airport on schedule about 90 minutes later. The plane, a 50-seat Embraer 170, rose to 27,000 feet, according to flight records. A United spokeswoman could not say Monday whether the plane’s cargo hold was temperature controlled or pressurized. At some point, workers in Charlotte realized there was a possibility that Gaskin was locked in the belly of the airplane and contacted the Federal Aviation Administration. They alerted officials at Dulles, according to airport officials there. Emergency responders at Dulles were waiting at the gate. Authorities in Charlotte termed the incident a “public accident,” and a representative for the FBI in Washington said the agency was notified but was not involved in the investigation into the incident. Gaskin is an employee of G2 Secure Staff, a United vendor based in Texas that supplies baggage handling services, airline officials said. A company representative did not respond to a message or email Monday evening.	– Federal authorities and airline officials are investigating the odd flight of a baggage handler who wound up in the cargo hold of a plane for more than 300 miles, the AP reports. The FAA said it would determine whether the man's cargo-loading company followed proper procedures to make sure that all employees were out of the cargo hold before the doors were closed and the plane took off for an 80-minute flight. The man was found unharmed after the United Express flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, landed Sunday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, DC. The cargo hold was temperature-controlled and pressurized, United Airlines spokesperson Erin Benson said. Rob Yingling, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, said that medics met the plane when it arrived Sunday afternoon but determined that the baggage handler did not need treatment. Dulles Airport police conducted a brief investigation. Since the man had proper identification as a Charlotte airport employee and was not charged with a crime, he was released, Yingling said. "I thank God," the baggage handler tells the Washington Post. "He was with me."
The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that a southern Oregon couple must quiet their incessantly barking dogs by sending them to the vet to have their voices surgically squelched. The Appeals Court ruled “debarking” surgery is an appropriate solution to a noisy and relentless problem that neighbors living next to the dogs have had to endure for more than a decade on their rural property outside Grants Pass. Debarking operations, also known as devocalization, are highly controversial. Groups such as the Oregon Humane Society and American Humane have spoken out against them. Six states have outlawed the procedure under certain circumstances, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. The surgery involves cutting the vocal cords. Opponents say removing a dog or cat's prime means of communication is cruel and unnecessary. Proponents say if done correctly, it can save problematic animals from being euthanized and still allow them to express themselves with a soft, raspy bark or muffled squeak. But it’s rare for courts in Oregon to order the procedure done, in part because barking-dog disputes usually are resolved long before cases get that far. “We are just shocked,” said David Lytle, a spokesman for the Oregon Humane Society. Lytle said his organization pushed for a bill to outlaw debarking surgeries in Oregon, but it failed a few years ago. The lawsuit began as a last resort, according to the neighbors who filed it. Debra and Dale Krein said they could no longer take the barking of the six or more Tibetan and Pyrenean Mastiffs owned by the couple who lived next door for almost 20 years. The barking started in 2002, but the Kreins didn't sue Karen Szewc and John Updegraff until 10 years later, according to a court summary of the case. Like the Kreins, Szwec and Updegraff are married. The Kreins contended the barking started as early as 5 a.m. and continued for hours on end after Szewc and Updegraff left the house for the day. The dogs routinely roused the Kreins from sleep, deterred relatives from visiting their property and forced them to turn up the volume of their TV to watch shows, they said. Their children dreaded coming home from school. The Kreins made audio recordings to prove their case. After a four-day trial in Jackson County Circuit Court in April 2015, a jury ruled that Szewc and Updegraff had to pay the Kreins $238,000. The Kreins at the time also argued that while the money compensated them for several years of disruption, it didn’t stop the problem. Judge Timothy Gerking agreed and ordered that the Mastiffs be debarked, given that the owners hadn't stopped the barking by other means, including using citronella-spray and shock collars or erecting a visual barrier between the dogs and the neighbors’ property. The Appeals Court upheld the $238,000 verdict and Gerking’s ruling, reasoning that the Kreins shouldn't have to file lawsuit after lawsuit to recover compensation as the problem continues. In his written opinion, Appeals Judge Joel DeVore likened that to a “judicial merry-go-round.” Reached by phone, Debra Krein declined comment. The Kreins' Medford attorney, Michael Franell, couldn't be reached for comment. Szewc told The Oregonian/OregonLive that efforts to silence her dogs have threatened her ability to run her farm. “The dogs are my employees,” she said. “We do not have the dogs to harass the neighbors. We have the dogs to protect our sheep.” The dogs bark, she said, when they sense predators, such as bears and cougars. She said agricultural properties generate farm noise -- something her neighbors haven't come to accept. “The next line of defense is a gun. I don’t need to use a gun, if I can protect my sheep with dogs," Szewc said. "This is a passive way of protecting livestock.” Szewc said she and her husband currently have six dogs, but the number has fluctuated over the years. In 2005, Jackson County cited Szewc for allowing two of her dogs to become a public nuisance with frequent and prolonged barking. After reviewing the case, county hearings officer Donald Rubenstein in 2006 ordered Szewc to pay a $400 fine and have the dogs debarked or moved off of her land. In making his decision, Rubenstein found that Szewc’s farm activities then were so small and unprofitable that they didn't fall under farm-use laws that might have protected the sound of the barking dogs. Szewc and Updegraff have strongly disputed that. Szewc said the farm made $26,000 last year and it has supplemented their income. Court papers describe the couple's land as a 3.4-acre parcel, populated by sheep, goats and chickens. Szewc said the couple did debark the dogs, but it had disastrous effects in 2010. A cougar ran off with six lambs in a single week, she said. “That’s $3,000 of income,” Szewc said. Now, Szewc said, she doesn’t know what she’ll do -- whether she’ll try to appeal the decision or accept it. Only one of the couple's six dogs have been debarked. The ruling was made by a three-judge panel of the Appeals Court: Joel DeVore, Chris Garrett and Bronson James. Read the opinion here. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee \|\|\|\|\| Full Width Column 1 Decisions of the Oregon Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court are posted weekly after 8:00 a.m., or as soon as available, on the day issued by the court. Final publication in the bound volumes of the Oregon Reports are accessible through the State of Oregon Law Library Digital Collection. Opinions \|\|\|\|\| Owners must surgically 'debark' loud dogs, court rules https://t.co/cnggmgZZdj pic.twitter.com/148pp9Y9mk — The Oregonian (@Oregonian) August 31, 2017 An Oregon appeals court agreed Wednesday that a couple must surgically lacerate their dogs’ vocal cords in a procedure known as “debarking” or “devocalization,” following a lawsuit brought by neighbors annoyed by the pets’ “incessant barking.” The ruling upheld a lower court order. The case began in 2002, when Karen Szewc and John Updegraff began breeding Tibetan Mastiffs, large fluffy dogs often employed to protect sheep from predators, at their home in Rogue River, Ore., about 150 miles south of Eugene. The married couple’s neighbors, Debra and Dale Krein, quickly grew tired of the dogs’ barking. According to the Kreins, the “dogs bark[ed] uncontrollably for long periods of time while defendants [were] away from the residence,” court documents state. But they weren’t the first ones to take action against the dog owners. In both 2004 and 2005, Jackson County cited Szewc for violating a county code provision on public nuisance “by allowing two of her dogs to bark frequently and at length,” according to court documents. Szewc argued the provisions didn’t apply to her because she ran a farm on the couple’s 3.4-acre parcel of land, which includes sheep, goats and chickens. Farms fall under different ordinances. The Jackson County Circuit Court rejected this argument, saying the property was not a farm, ordered her to pay $400 and to debark the two offending dogs or to move them to a different area. It is unclear if she debarked these dogs, but in 2012, the Kriens filed a lawsuit against Szewc and Updegraff, claiming they had not taken the necessary actions to prevent the dogs from barking. At that point, there were at least six dogs on the property, all either Tibetan or Pyrenean Mastiffs, the Oregonian reported. Again, the dog owners argued that they were not subject to the dog barking ordinance because they were running a farm. The Kreins claimed the dogs often began barking at 5 a.m., sometimes waking the couple. Relatives refused to visit, and their children hated being around the house, according to the Oregonian. They recorded the barking to prove it. “The dogs are my employees,” Szewc told the Oregonian. “We do not have the dogs to harass the neighbors. We have the dogs to protect our sheep.” “The next line of defense is a gun. I don’t need to use a gun, if I can protect my sheep with dogs,” she added. “This is a passive way of protecting livestock.” In April 2015, a jury sided with the Kreins and ordered Szewc and Updegraff to pay them $238,000 in damages. Also in response to the suit, Judge Timothy Gerking ordered the couple to debark the mastiffs, since they hadn’t stopped them from barking using other means such as shock collars. Szewc and Updegraff again argued unsuccessfully that the dogs were necessary because they had a farm. On Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the Oregon Court of Appeals consisting of Joel DeVore, Chris Garrett and Bronson James upheld that ruling, agreeing that the dog owners were not running a farm. The question of whether debarking is an appropriate remedy was not at issue in the case. Debarking is a surgical procedure in which parts of a dog’s vocal folds or cords are cut out in an effort to lower the volume of its barks or, more severely, to eliminate the dog’s ability to bark altogether, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. The procedure is partially prohibited in six states, according to the AVMF. Many animal welfare organizations oppose it, as do some veterinarians. “Debarking is not a medically necessary procedure,” Jeffrey S. Klausner, chief medical officer of the Banfield Pet Hospital, told the New York Times in 2010. “We think it’s not humane to the dogs to put them through the surgery and the pain. We just do not think that it should be performed.” Wednesday’s ruling left some animal rights activists reeling. “We are just shocked,” David Lytle, a spokesman for the Oregon Humane Society, told the Oregonian. More from Morning Mix Trump and Manafort get big reminder that pardon power does not extend to state crimes Investors say SeaWorld lied about business downturn after orca outcry. Now feds are investigating. Evangelicals’ ‘Nashville Statement’ denouncing same-sex marriage is rebuked by city’s mayor Lesbians win $10,000 judgment against county clerk for calling them an ‘abomination’ \|\|\|\|\| MEDFORD-- An Oregon couple who sued their neighbors because of their constantly barking dogs was awarded nearly $240,000 in damages. The Mail Tribune reports that a Jackson County jury found in favor of Dale and Debra Krein of Rogue River, awarding damages for what was described as more than a decade of ceaseless barking. The defendants, John Updegraff and Karen Szewc, said their dogs were necessary to protect their livestock from predators. The court last week found that the Tibetan mastiffs weren't ideally suited to be livestock guardians and ordered them debarked within 60 days or replaced with a more suitable breed. Szewc and Updegraff reportedly began breeding the dogs at their home around 2002. According to the Mail Tribune, the Kreins claimed the dogs would often begin barking at 5 a.m. and would continue throughout the day. They also claimed the couple did nothing to quiet their dogs even after being cited by Jackson County Animal Control in 2002 and 2004 for violating public nuisance codes. -- The Associated Press	– "We are just shocked." That's the reaction of the Oregon Humane Society to a Wednesday ruling by the Oregon Court of Appeals that will require a Rogue River couple to have their six dogs' vocal cords cut. The court case was one between neighbors of nearly 20 years, reports the Oregonian: Debra and Dale Krein said the barking from Karen Szewc and John Updegraff's Tibetan and Pyrenean Mastiffs began in 2002—at 5am each day, and didn't stop. The suit was filed 10 years later, with the Kreins alleging an auditory hell so bad their kids didn't want to come home from school. Szewc and Updegraff reportedly did attempt to rectify the situation with methods including shock collars, to no avail. A jury ruled in the Kreins' favor in 2015; Szewc and Updegraff were ordered to pay the couple $238,000 and have their dogs undergo devocalization. The Appeals Court upheld that ruling. Szewc and Updegraff had argued that the dogs were what kept their livestock—sheep, goats, and chickens on 3.4 acres—safe from predators. The Washington Post reports that as such, they argued the county's public nuisance code didn't apply as they were subject instead to farming ordinances. But the AP in 2015 reported on the original ruling, which found Tibetan mastiffs aren't a breed designed to guard livestock. It also cited the 2006 decision of a local hearings officer (related to a citation over the barking) who found the farm use defense was unavailable to the couple due to the small size and profits of their farming endeavors. They have not decided whether to appeal the latest decision. The Oregonian notes the surgery still allows dogs to make a very quiet bark or squeak; critics call it a "cruel and unnecessary" procedure. (Read about another case of discord between neighbors.)
(CNN) -- A political clash over the legitimacy of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's next term loomed as the announcement came that he will be unable to attend his inauguration. With Chavez unable to be sworn in, a number of constitutional questions have become central: Can the president be sworn in on another day? And who should be in charge in the meantime? The disagreement hangs a cloud of uncertainty over Venezuela, as political forces disagree on whether Chavez will be a legitimate president or whether someone else should assume power and call for new elections. Officials on Tuesday confirmed that medical treatment in Cuba will keep Chavez from being sworn in for his new term this week. At the same time, supporters and opponents of Chavez are bracing for a legal battle over whether the inauguration can be postponed. Chavez: Survivor and Venezuela's long-serving president A statement from Venezuela's vice president read before lawmakers Tuesday said that the constitution authorizes "at a later date, the swearing-in before the Supreme Court." "The process of post-surgical recuperation must continue past January 10 of this year, so he will not be able to appear on that date before the National Assembly," the statement said. The 58-year-old Venezuelan president has been treated for cancer in Cuba for the past month, most recently battling respiratory complications. Read more: Venezuela: As Chavez battles cancer, Maduro waits in the wings A fierce debate Tuesday's formal announcement sparked a fierce debate in the assembly, intensifying a political battle that has been playing out for weeks in news conferences, on the country's airwaves and in social media posts. The constitution says Chavez can be sworn in before the Supreme Court, but the wording is not clear about whether that swearing-in must occur Thursday or who should run Venezuela in the meantime. The president of Venezuela's Supreme Court is scheduled to speak to reporters Wednesday. Supporters and critics of Chavez both point to the country's constitution but offer wildly different interpretations of what it says. Opposition lawmakers said in Tuesday's debate that Chavez should be declared temporarily absent from his presidential post to avoid a power vacuum. They argued that Diosdado Cabello, the head of the National Assembly, should temporarily assume the presidency while Chavez recovers. But Cabello, a close Chavez ally and member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, said that would be unconstitutional. "There is no way to interpret (the constitution). It is extremely clear," he said. "Everything else is a wish." Julio Borges, an opposition lawmaker, said Chavez's supporters were fighting among themselves and putting the country's future in jeopardy. "You are denying the application of the constitution ... and what is unjust is that the Venezuelan people are paying the price of your internal fight while the (country's) problems are still alive and kicking," he said. Tuesday's debate became so heated that one member of the opposition accused Chavez's supporters of hurling a copy of the constitution at him. Supporters of Chavez pumped their fists in the air and gave a standing ovation after passing a resolution affirming that Chavez could remain president and be away from the country for as long as necessary to deal with his illness. The resolution backed the interpretation of the constitution held by Chavez's supporters. Opposition leader calls for action Henrique Capriles, the man Chavez defeated at the polls in October, said earlier Tuesday that the Supreme Court must clarify the confusion. Read more: With Chavez ill, uncertainty reigns in Venezuela "There is a conflict here," Capriles said. "What is the Supreme Court waiting on?" As far as the opposition is concerned, Capriles said, the constitution is clear that the president's term ends on January 10 and a new period begins. If Chavez is unable to be sworn in, it creates a leadership vacuum that must be filled by the National Assembly president, and the possibility of new elections arises, Capriles said. Cabello has said that he has no intention of assuming power if Chavez is not sworn in. "When (the opposition) talks about a power vacuum, they are proposing a coup," Cabello said, the state-run AVN news agency reported. Maduro: 'The popular will is what prevails' The government says that Chavez's new term begins automatically because he was re-elected and that the inauguration could be held later. In remarks broadcast on national television Tuesday night, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said the inauguration date "is a formality." Speaking to Venezuela's military leaders, he said that declaring Chavez temporarily absent from his post "would be crazy because the popular will is what prevails." Voters have re-elected Chavez, he said, calling on the military to help continue Chavez's revolution. There is no such automatic continuity of power, Capriles said, arguing that "the only thing that has continuity are the country's problems." "If the constitution is not followed, or there is a conflict of interpretation, the Supreme Court has to take a position," he said. Capriles expressed concern about unrest or political crisis in the absence of a decision by the high court. Chavez has not been seen in public and officials have not released any photographs of him since he arrived in Havana for his fourth cancer operation in early December, fueling speculation that his health is worse than the government is letting on. Last week, a government spokesman said Chavez was battling a severe lung infection that has caused respiratory failure. Ernesto Villegas said the president was following a strict treatment regimen for "respiratory insufficiency" caused by the infection. His condition remained unchanged Monday, the government said in a statement. "Treatment has been administered permanently and rigorously, and the patient is supporting it," the statement said. CNN's Paula Newton and Esprit Smith contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| Image caption Mr Chavez is said to be stable despite a lung infection The Venezuelan National Assembly has approved a request by President Hugo Chavez to postpone his inauguration for a new term in office, which was scheduled for Thursday. Mr Chavez is in hospital in Cuba after cancer surgery, and has suffered complications caused by a lung infection. Legislators voted to give Mr Chavez as much time as he needed to recover. He has not been seen in public since his last operation a month ago. The government insists that the inauguration is a mere formality for an incumbent leader and can take place at a so far unspecified later date. The opposition argues that Mr Chavez's current mandate expires on 10 January and is calling on the Supreme Court to rule on the issue. The court has scheduled a news conference at 14:00 GMT on Wednesday. Venezuelan constitution Article 231: The president-elect shall take office on 10 January... by taking an oath before the National Assembly. If for any reason, (they) cannot be sworn in before the National Assembly, they shall take the oath of office before the Supreme Court. The president-elect shall take office on 10 January... by taking an oath before the National Assembly. If for any reason, (they) cannot be sworn in before the National Assembly, they shall take the oath of office before the Supreme Court. Article 233: When an elected president becomes absolutely absent prior to inauguration, a new election... shall be held within 30 days... Pending (this), the president of the National Assembly will assume responsibility for the presidency of the Republic. When an elected president becomes absolutely absent prior to inauguration, a new election... shall be held within 30 days... Pending (this), the president of the National Assembly will assume responsibility for the presidency of the Republic. Article 234: When the president is temporarily unable to serve, they shall be replaced by the... vice-president for a period of up to 90 days, which may be extended by resolution of the National Assembly for an additional 90 days. "Right now in Venezuela, without any doubt whatsoever, a constitutional conflict has arisen," opposition leader Henrique Capriles said. The opposition is trying to tread a fine line between expressing its views and avoiding anything that could be construed as an attack on a suffering Mr Chavez, says BBC Mundo's Abraham Zamorano in Caracas. According to the opposition, Mr Chavez should be declared temporarily incapacitated with the current Speaker of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, not Vice-President Nicolas Maduro, taking over as caretaker leader. They argue that Mr Maduro, who was appointed by Mr Chavez not elected, will cease to be vice-president on 10 January. Rallies called President Chavez, who has been in power since 1999, was re-elected in October for a fourth term. Analysis The government's insistence on giving Mr Chavez more time to recover from surgery shows how important one individual is to the Socialist Party. President Chavez's charisma has helped him to win several elections and he inspires devotion among his supporters. Even if he is not participating in the day-to-day running the country, his allies will want to keep him as a figurehead for as long as possible. For the opposition, Mr Chavez's continuing illness raises the possibility that another six years of Chavismo may not be inevitable. They are pressing for Mr Chavez to be declared absent from his post on Thursday. But rather than rush back to the ballot box, the opposition is arguing for National Assembly Speaker Diosdado Cabello to take over as interim leader. That would force a major change in government without appearing to attack a very ill man. After weeks of speculation, Mr Cabello announced to legislators that Mr Chavez had requested to be sworn in at a later date before the Supreme Court, according to Article 231 of the Constitution. "On the recommendation of his medical team, the process of post-operation recuperation will have to be prolonged beyond 10 January, [as a result of which] he will be unable to present himself on this date to the National Assembly." he said, reading a letter from Mr Maduro. Mr Cabello has called on Chavez supporters to take to the streets of Caracas on Thursday to show support for him. He said several foreign leaders had agreed to be at the Miraflores Presidential Palace on inauguration day. But Mr Capriles urged them to stay away and not succumb to "a game by a political party", referring to Mr Chavez's Socialist Party (PSUV). In the latest update on Mr Chavez, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said his condition was "stable", and he was "responding to the treatment".	– In not-so-surprising news, the Venezuelan government said today that Hugo Chavez is too sick to attend his own inauguration on Thursday, reports the BBC. So now what? Chavez's camp says it's no big deal, arguing that the swearing-in is a mere formality that can be postponed until Chavez is well enough to travel. But the opposition thinks the constitution makes clear that if the incoming president can't be sworn in, the National Assembly leader must form a caretaker government and call new elections. It wants the nation's Supreme Court to settle the dispute. "The Supreme Court has to take a position on what the text of the constitution says," says opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who lost to Chavez in the fall election. "There is no monarchy here, and we aren't in Cuba." The National Assembly leader, for his part, says he has no intention of taking over on Thursday, reports CNN. "When (the opposition) talks about a power vacuum, they are proposing a coup."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says airport security will get “less intrusive and more precise.” In an interview transcript released by NBC, Clinton tells "Meet the Press" host David Gregory the government’s security experts are “looking for ways to diminish the impact on the traveling public.” “I mean obviously the vast, vast majority of people getting on these planes are law abiding citizens who are just trying to get from, you know, one place to another,” she said in the interview airing Sunday. “But let's not kid ourselves. The terrorists are adaptable. They start doing whatever they can to try to cause harm. And when you have people who are willing to die in order to kill Americans and others, you've got folks putting explosives in their underwear. Who would have thought that? So striking the right balance is what this is about. “And I am absolutely confident that our security experts are gonna keep tryin' to get it better and less intrusive and more precise.” The Transportation Security Administration came under intense fire this week for ordering travelers to undergo invasive pat-downs, step through full-body scanners – or not fly at all. Share this Article Digg Delicious Reddit Yahoo Google Technorati \|\|\|\|\| Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Sunday shot down speculation that make a run for the White House in 2012. "Being the governor of a state like Texas - or, for that matter, Oklahoma or New Mexico - is a more pivotal job in the future," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "I do, indeed, hope for someone that says I'm going to go to Washington, try to get back to our constitutional roots, devolve this centralization of government back to the states. So why do you want to be up there if the action is down here in the states?" Also, Perry said he's committed to his new job as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. "I don't want to be the president of the United States," he said. "I do want to work with these governors across the country to make the states more pivotal, more powerful, as they should be." \|\|\|\|\| Clinton won't run in 2012 - or ever Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains firm that she'll not run for president again. Asked by "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace if she's done pursuing the elected office, Clinton answered, "I am." "I am very happy doing what I'm doing, and I am not in any way interested in or pursuing anything in elective office," she said. Clinton laughed off the continued speculation that she might throw her hat into the 2012 presidential ring. "I love what I'm doing. I can't tell you what it's like, Chris, to everyday get to represent the United States," she said. "That's why I feel so strongly about every issue, from START to Afghanistan." Recently the secretary brushed off similar questions during her trip to Australia - and made news doing so. "I've said it over and over again," she said. "And I'm happy to say it on your show as well. I am committed to doing what I can to advance the security, the interests and values of the United States of America. I believe what I'm doing right now is in furtherance of that. And I'm very proud and grateful to be doing it." \|\|\|\|\| Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the administration is working with senators to ratify the new nuclear arms control treaty with Russia yet this year. "We'll find the time in the lame duck," she said on "Fox News Sunday." "I understand the legitimate concern that there might not be enough time to debate, to make sure that everybody is well informed. But as Senator [Richard] Lugar, who is one of the leading experts in the world on the dangers posed by nuclear weapons, on the necessity of having more insight into what Russia's doing - he said we cannot wait. I agree with him." Clinton said she was "heartened by and even a little surprised" that a number of foreign leaders from Central and Eastern Europe are urging ratification. "People who on the ground in Europe, nearby Russia, many of whom were part of the former Soviet Union, who are saying, 'Please ratify this treaty now, United States Senate,'" she said. "Now, why are they saying that? Not because they have a dog in the hunt between Republicans and Democrats in our country. It's because they know that this would be an important treaty for the continuing cooperation between Russia and the United States." \|\|\|\|\| Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said on Sunday he's focused on his own reelection, not a run for the Republican presidential nomination. "I'm running for reelection in 2011," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I am running to be governor of Louisiana. There will be other candidates running for president." Still, the governor danced around queries about his political future. Asked if he would consider being the vice presidential nominee on the GOP's 2012 ticket, Jindal responded, "I'm not going to turn down something that's not been offered to me." Pressed again if he would like to be president someday — not necessarily in 2012 — Jindal dodged. "My only political aspiration is to be reelected governor for a second term," he said. Jindal also said former Alaska Republican Gov. Sarah Palin could make a "compelling case" for president. "I like governors because they have to balance their budgets, they have to run their states," he said. \|\|\|\|\| Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she'd avoid a security pat-down at an airport if she could. Asked in the closing moments of an interview airing Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" if she would submit to "one of these pat-downs" that have caused a national outcry among travelers, Clinton replied, "Not if I, not if I could avoid it." "No, I mean who would?" she said with a chuckle. The nation's top diplomat said while there's a need for some of the Transportation Security Administration's screening policies, there may be a way to "limit the number of people who are going to be put through surveillance." "That's something that I'm sure can be considered," Clinton said. "But everybody is trying to do the right thing. I understand how difficult it is and how offensive it must be for the people who are going through it." Earlier on CNN's "State of the Union," TSA chief John Pistole said the current screening techniques were needed and would not be changed.	– Hillary Clinton probably can't even remember what it's like to fly commercial, but would the secretary of State man up and submit to a pat-down? "Not if I, not if I could avoid it," Clinton told Face the Nation. "No, I mean who would?" Of note, Clinton said the TSA's pat-down will get "less intrusive and more precise" and that the feds are “looking for ways to diminish the impact on the traveling public.” Elsewhere on the Sunday dial, as per Politico: Clinton says the White House will find the time "in the lame duck" to push the New Start Treaty through. Clinton's also "not in any way interested in or pursuing anything in elective office," no matter how many times you ask her if she'll run in 2012. Also not running: Bobby Jindal, who swears his only agenda is his re-election campaign next year. Also not running: Rick Perry, who wonders, "So why do you want to be up there if the action is down here in the states?"
FILE - In this June 22, 2014, file photo, Charles Osgood arrives at the Daytime Emmy Awards Afterparty at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Osgood, who has said "good morning" to his audience... (Associated Press) FILE - In this June 22, 2014, file photo, Charles Osgood arrives at the Daytime Emmy Awards Afterparty at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Osgood, who has said "good morning" to his audience every Sunday, will say "goodbye" as host of "CBS News Sunday Morning." He announced his Sept. 25,... (Associated Press) FILE - In this June 22, 2014, file photo, Charles Osgood arrives at the Daytime Emmy Awards Afterparty at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Osgood, who has said "good morning" to his audience every Sunday, will say "goodbye" as host of "CBS News Sunday Morning." He announced his Sept. 25,... (Associated Press) FILE - In this June 22, 2014, file photo, Charles Osgood arrives at the Daytime Emmy Awards Afterparty at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Osgood, who has said "good morning" to his audience... (Associated Press) NEW YORK (AP) — Charles Osgood, who has said "good morning" to his audience every Sunday for 22 years, is about to say "goodbye" as host of "CBS News Sunday Morning" in September. He announced his scheduled Sept. 25 farewell on Sunday's edition. That broadcast will be a tribute to Osgood's legacy on and off "Sunday Morning." But after that, he won't be absent from the program, he assured viewers, explaining he will be on hand for occasional appearances. "For years now, people — even friends and family — have been asking me why I continue doing this, considering my age," the 83-year-old Osgood said in brief concluding remarks. "It's just that it's been such a joy doing it! It's been a great run, but after nearly 50 years at CBS ... the time has come." And then he sang a few wistful bars from a favorite folk song: "So long, it's been good to know you. I've got to be driftin' along." No successor has been named. Among those under consideration are reportedly "Sunday Morning" colleagues Jane Pauley, Anthony Mason and Lee Cowan. Meanwhile, the program continues to be a ratings leader. With a year-to-date audience of nearly 6 million viewers, it consistently tops rival Sunday morning news programs. "(Osgood) has one of the most distinctive voices in broadcasting, guiding each broadcast, making sure the words were just right, and being a calming, reassuring presence to our viewers," said CBS News president David Rhodes. He is exiting a job only one other person has held since "Sunday Morning" premiered in 1979. Charles Kuralt retired in 1994 after crafting the job in his own folksy, easygoing image and hosting for 15 years. Osgood seemingly had an impossible act to follow. But with his folksy erudition and his slightly bookish, bow-tied style, he immediately clicked with viewers who continued to embrace the program as an unhurried TV magazine that, as before, seemed defined only by its host's, and staff's, curiosity. Even then, Osgood was already a CBS veteran. In 1967, he took a job as reporter on the CBS-owned New York news radio station. Then, one fateful weekend, he was summoned to fill in at the anchor desk for the TV network's Saturday newscast. In 1971, he joined the CBS network. Since then, he has proved to be a broadcaster who can write essays and light verse as well as report hard news, a man who has continued to work in both radio and television with equal facility. (He once described himself as "a radio guy who finally stopped being terrified of the camera.") He has been an anchor and reporter for many CBS News broadcasts on both TV and radio. He has long delivered "The Osgood File" on radio, and will continue to do so, where, if the mood strikes, he might sing another song. ___ This story has been corrected to show Osgood's age is 83, not 84. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE — Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore@ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier. Past stories are available at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/frazier-moore ___ Online: http://www.cbsnews.com \|\|\|\|\| Charles Osgood today announced his retirement as anchor of CBS’ “Sunday Morning,” ending a 22-year run at the broadcast. Osgood’s award-winning 45-year career at CBS News will be celebrated during his final appearance as anchor on Sept. 25, 2016 on the CBS Television Network. Charles Osgood leaving "Sunday Morning" Osgood will continue as the anchor of “The Osgood File,” his daily news commentaries broadcast on the CBS Radio Network and on stations around the country. He will also make occasional appearances on “Sunday Morning.” “Some of you may have heard rumors lately that I won’t be hosting these ‘Sunday Morning’ broadcasts very much longer. Well, I’m here to tell you that the rumors are true,” Osgood told viewers during today’s broadcast. “For years now people -- even friends and family -- have been asking me why I keep doing this considering my age. I am pushing 84. It’s just that it’s been a joy doing it! Who wouldn’t want to be the one who gets to introduce these terrific storytellers and the producers and writers and others who put this wonderful show together? “I want to thank all of them, and all you in our still-growing audience, for your support and encouragement,” Osgood continued. “It’s been a great run, but after nearly 50 years at CBS -- including the last 22 years here on ‘Sunday Morning’ -- the time has come: and a date is set for me to do my farewell ‘Sunday Morning.’” Since joining CBS in 1971, Osgood has been an anchor and reporter for every broadcast on the network, including the “CBS Morning News,” “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather,” “CBS Sunday Night News,” and - for 22 years - “Sunday Morning.” CBS News “Charlie is not just beloved by our viewers. He’s beloved by all of us who work each week crafting the stories we put on the program,” said Rand Morrison, executive producer of “Sunday Morning.” “Working with him truly has been an honor, a privilege and a joy. We look forward to paying tribute to him and his legendary career in September -- and, of course, seeing him on the radio!” “Charles Osgood has one of the most distinctive voices in broadcasting, guiding each broadcast, making sure the words were just right, and being a calming, reassuring presence to our viewers,” said David Rhodes, President of CBS News. “His impeccable commitment to quality inspires all of us at CBS News.” The 90-minute special edition of “Sunday Morning” honoring Osgood will feature a look at the legendary broadcaster’s career, and include surprise guests, interviews, comments from well-wishers and special performances. Osgood has been the anchor of “Sunday Morning” since 1994, and with CBS News for 45 years. With Osgood as anchor, CBS’ “Sunday Morning” has reached its highest audience levels in nearly three decades, and three times the broadcast has earned the Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Morning Program. An experienced journalist known as a gifted writer, Osgood has earned many top broadcasting awards, including the Walter Cronkite Excellence in Journalism Award from Arizona State University, the George Foster Peabody Award, and the National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award. He joined CBS News in 1971 and has been an anchor and reporter for every broadcast on the network, including the “CBS Morning News,” “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather” and “CBS Sunday Night News.” Before joining CBS News, Osgood was an anchor and reporter for WCBS News Radio 880 in New York City. Before CBS he worked for ABC News, served as the general manager of WHCT-TV in Hartford, Conn, and was the program director and manager for WGMS Radio in Washington, D.C. Osgood made his big screen debut as the narrator of Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hears a Who,” the animated feature film adaptation of the beloved children’s book. He also wrote “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House” (Hyperion, 2008); “Nothing Could Be Finer Than a Crisis That Is Minor in the Morning” (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1979); “There’s Nothing I Wouldn’t Do if You Would Be My POSSLQ” (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1981); “Osgood on Speaking: How to Think on Your Feet Without Falling on Your Face” (William Morrow and Company, 1988); “The Osgood Files” (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1991); “See You on the Radio” (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1999); and “Defending Baltimore Against Enemy Attack” (Hyperion, 2004). Osgood also edited “Funny Letters From Famous People” (Broadway Books, 2003) and “Kilroy Was Here” (Hyperion, 2001). Osgood was born in New York. He was graduated from Fordham University in 1954 with a B.S. degree in economics. Osgood has performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and played the piano and banjo with the New York Pops and Boston Pops Orchestras. The Emmy Award-winning “Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood” is broadcast on CBS on Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison. Follow the program on Twitter (@CBSSunday), Facebook, Instagram (#CBSSundayMorning) and at cbssundaymorning.com. You can also listen to “Sunday Morning” audio podcasts at Play.it.	– Charles Osgood, who has said "good morning" to his audience every Sunday for 22 years, is about to say "goodbye" as host of CBS News Sunday Morning in September. He announced his scheduled Sept. 25 farewell on Sunday's edition, reports CBS News. That broadcast will be a tribute to Osgood's legacy on and off Sunday Morning, notes the AP. But after that, he won't be absent from the program, he assured viewers, explaining he will be on hand for occasional appearances. "For years now, people—even friends and family—have been asking me why I continue doing this, considering my age," the 83-year-old Osgood said. "It's just that it's been such a joy doing it! It's been a great run, but after nearly 50 years at CBS ... the time has come." And then he sang a few wistful bars from a favorite folk song: "So long, it's been good to know you. I've got to be driftin' along." Potential successors under consideration are reportedly Sunday Morning colleagues Jane Pauley, Anthony Mason, and Lee Cowan. Meanwhile, the program continues to be a ratings leader, with a year-to-date audience of nearly 6 million viewers. "(Osgood) has one of the most distinctive voices in broadcasting, guiding each broadcast, making sure the words were just right, and being a calming, reassuring presence to our viewers," said CBS News president David Rhodes. He leaves a job only one other person has held since Sunday Morning premiered in 1979. Charles Kuralt retired in 1994 after hosting for 15 years. Osgood seemingly had an impossible act to follow. But with his folksy erudition and slightly bookish, bow-tied style, he immediately clicked with viewers who continued to embrace the program as an unhurried TV magazine that, as before, was defined only by its host's, and staff's, curiosity.
David Hellmann, a medical device sales manager from Chicago, is planning a celebration for a friend this coming August. The two of them, along with several male friends, will meet in Cincinnati, possibly catch a Reds game and then go on a pub-crawl through the city. This might sound familiar, but no one's getting married. It isn't a bachelor party; it's a dadchelor party. Daddymoon, man-shower, whatever you want to call it: the practice of hosting a blowout akin to a bachelor party for expectant fathers is catching on. "I've been on three or four of them," said Hellmann, 29, referring to what his friends call "dadelor parties" (dadchelor party is in Urban Dictionary, while dadelor party is not, but it does seem to roll off the tongue better without the "ch"). Some permutations are more subdued, like a "diaper keg" where men bring diapers in exchange for beer, while others are more extravagant and involve all day bar-hopping or even a destination weekend. All seem to involve drinking, sporting events, gambling, and more drinking. "Let's have one more night where responsible decisions don’t matter," Hellman explained. Hellmann's group of friends follows some general guidelines for each celebration: the future father does not pay for drinks all day, and they allow a cushion of at least one month before the baby's arrival. "You don’t want to have the dad be on a bar crawl when the wife goes into labor," Hellmann explained. Neil Kennedy, 29, who works in sales and is also from Chicago, recently returned from a dadchelor party in Milwaukee. He described the event as a "farewell from the inner circle." The group went to a Brewers game, several bars, and then to a casino and eventually closed out the night at a late night gyro joint where the dad-to-be bumped elbows with the rapper Lil Jon (his hands were full of gyros). Later, back at the hotel, one drunk member of the group jumped on the hotel lobby desk and imitated Greenbay Packers player Aaron Rodgers after he scores a touchdown. "It completely freaked out the receptionist," Kennedy said. When the hotel threatened to call security, the group decided it was time to depart for their rooms. "I actually couldn't believe his wife was letting him go," said Nate Berghoff, 28, who works in also sales and was on the trip. "When I told my girlfriend she was like 'Yea, you won’t be doing that.'" When asked about any exchanges of fatherly advice at these parties, Berghoff replied, "None at all!" So what's behind the rise of the dadchelor party? Carley Roney, editor in chief of TheBump.com, a website for expectant mothers and new moms, said she suspects they are a response to changes in parenting norms. Based on what she knows from the site's community forum and from those in the baby industry, such dad-centered celebrations seem to have taken off in the last year or two. "In the (19)50s it all fell on the girls," Roney said. "Now, it's a shared responsibility. Guys are just as overwhelmed by the thought of how much their lives are going to change. This is the antidote to that, the hedge against it." According to Roney, also at play is the fact that both men and women are having their first children later. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that the average age for first time motherhood in 1970 was 21.4. By the year 2000 it was 24.9 and it crept up further to 25.1 in 2008 (statistics for first time fathers are not available). Because couples have had more time to enjoy the luxuries of uninterrupted sleep or a last minute trip to the beach, Roney theorized that panic is more likely to accompany impending parenthood. In addition, she argued that the challenges of parenting weren't spoken of amongst previous generations. Now? "People are like, 'You wouldn’t believe it: you're not going to get any sleep and you're never going to have sex again,'" Roney said. "The picture of parenthood that's been painted is so dire, it seems like you do need a last night of freedom." Roney suggested that the phenomenon of the babymoon—a final vacation a couple takes before having a child—can be explained in much the same way. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project, suspects dadelor parties could in part be explained by the fathers' fears about how the baby's arrival will affect his relationship to his spouse. "When babies come along, it tends to make a much more dramatic shift in the wife's focus," Wilcox said. "It's to some degree traumatic for your average husband." Though he didn't advocate dadelor parties specifically, Wilcox said research suggests that bringing friends together in similar phases of life is something positive. "They're more likely to succeed in marriages if they have friends going through parenthood at the same time," Wilcox said. "It's a lot easier if you can commiserate amongst friends." Brian Podvia, 28, who owns the Philadelphia travel agency JetSetPilot, says he's seen an increase over the last couple of years in bookings for what his friends call "daddymoons," several of which he has been on himself. "At the end of the day, it's the last time to see your friends before you have responsibilities with the baby," Podvia said. "You know, as a parent you can't do these kinds of things anymore." Though previous destinations included Atlantic City, last March, Podvia's group of friends upped the ante and spent six days at an all-inclusive resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The men are in their late 20s, but still took advantage of the dawning of Spring Break season in nearby Cancun and hit up some clubs. Back at their hotel, they stormed the stage at a Michael Jackson look-alike contest. "At this point, we need any excuse to get out as a group, just guys, so we can have fun like the old days," Podvia said. According to Podvia, the trips he takes with his friends have been innocent enough, barring the occasional hiccup, like someone falling asleep in a hotel lobby, getting kicked out of the same bar twice in one day, or the whole group getting kicked out of a baseball game (all of which happened during a trip to Pittsburgh in May of last year). No one has ever been arrested, and the worst it ever got was someone temporarily going missing, also in Pittsburgh. \|\|\|\|\| Well, now we have a plot for The Hangover III: in a new trend, fathers-to-be are apparently going out for a booze-soaked last hurrah with their buddies before they become totally lame. Friends, meet the "dadelor party." Such parties, according to the Huffington Post, take a variety of forms: Some permutations are more subdued, like a "diaper keg" where men bring diapers in exchange for beer, while others are more extravagant and involve all day bar-hopping or even a destination weekend. All seem to involve drinking, sporting events, gambling, and more drinking. So basically a bachelor party, except the dude is about to marry a baby. And as bachelor parties are meant as a goodbye to the strippers and beer bongs that are every unattached guy's birthright, one man describes the dadelor bash as a "farewell from the inner circle," presumably because once a guy has a baby he descends into a black hole of bottles and vomit and is never heard from again. Also, in this black hole there is no sex — says Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project, "When babies come along, it tends to make a much more dramatic shift in the wife's focus. It's to some degree traumatic for your average husband." The idea that guys need a special party to ease them into a time when their wives won't be paying exclusive attention to them is a little annoying. But actually, there's a compelling argument that dadelor parties are on the rise because dadness is. Says Carley Roney of TheBump.com, In the (19)50s it all fell on the girls. Now, it's a shared responsibility. Guys are just as overwhelmed by the thought of how much their lives are going to change. This is the antidote to that, the hedge against it. Advertisement Sure, not every life milestone has to be celebrated with drunken bumbling (one guy discusses how at a Pittsburgh dadelor party, one friend ended up in Ohio). But it's nice that increasingly, men seem to be taking their responsibilities as fathers seriously, and acknowledging that when the baby comes, it's not just the mother's life that's going to change. It's good that guys are recognizing that fatherhood is serious business — even if it takes them a few beers to do it. 'Dadchelor Parties' Celebrate First Time Fathers [Huffington Post] \|\|\|\|\| Apparently, dadchelor parties are a thing . They’re pretty much like bachelor parties, except the person getting rowdy is about to be father, not a groom. A dude who recently attended one of these soirees called it a "farewell from the inner circle." They can also be called daddymoons and man-showers, and according to The Huffington Post, they’re becoming increasingly popular. There are many jokes to be made here (Jezebel made most of them), but Carley Roney of TheBump.com says it's a sign that dads are taking their role seriously. Still, she mainly frames “dadchelor” parties as a wistful send-off before parenthood's impending social isolation. She chalks up the parties to younger generations’ willingness to talk (and commiserate) about the challenges of parenting: People are like, 'You wouldn’t believe it: you're not going to get any sleep and you're never going to have sex again’…the picture of parenthood that's been painted is so dire, it seems like you do need a last night of freedom. Now that men share more of the responsibility for childrearing, they’re starting to realize just how hard it is. It's easy to react to these dude-fests with a chuckle and an eye-roll—believe me, I did both. I also thought of how much it would utterly suck to be at home, sober and 9 months preggers, while my partner got wasted off tequila shots. No fair! But mainly I see these parties as a reflection of a culture that provides absolutely no support for parents. Actually, bachelor parties have the same concept—one last hurrah before entering the restrictive confines of the nuclear family. We take for granted the widening chasm between single people and families, and accept as a fact that we will be disconnected from our friends, become walking zombies, and never have sex again. This is part of the reason why I’ll probably only have one kid. But does it really have to be that way? The answer is no. Just look at the rest of the world. Places like France and Denmark have free or subsidized childcare. Families in China, Latin America, and countless other places around the world rely on extended family and community to help raise children. Lots of hippie-era babies turned out fine after coming of age in communal living situations. As a culture, we are relatively less tolerant of children in public spaces than some other countries (though that depends on your 'hood). Dadchelor parties are quintessentially American—a burst of revelry and “bad” behavior brought on by a cloud of repression and the proverbial "grindstone." Sound familiar? Don’t get me wrong, I love ragers. Go ahead, have a daddymoon! They sound fun. But let’s take the advent of the dadchelor party as a reminder to push for policies and cultural shifts that will make parents’ lives easier and more pleasurable. Shouldn't we be celebrating a child’s arrival, not mourning the death of a part of ourselves? photo (cc) by Flickr user spcbrass	– The "dadchelor party"—in which soon-to-be new dads are taken out by the boys for a night of drinking—is officially a trend, declares the Huffington Post. (Other names: daddymoon, dadelor party, man-shower, diaper keg.) "I've been on three or four of them," says one Chicago participant. Jokes aside, Jezebel's Anna North is OK with it: "It's nice that increasingly, men seem to be taking their responsibilities as fathers seriously, and acknowledging that when the baby comes, it's not just the mother's life that's going to change," she writes. "It's good that guys are recognizing that fatherhood is serious business—even if it takes them a few beers to do it." At Good, Nona Willis Aronowitz is all in favor of a good party, but less enthusiastic about these particular bashes. She sees dadchelor parties "as a reflection of a culture that provides absolutely no support for parents." Compared to Europe, America doesn't do much for new parents, and men realize they'll need a few drinks before the "grindstone" kicks in. "Let’s take the advent of the dadchelor party as a reminder to push for policies and cultural shifts that will make parents’ lives easier and more pleasurable," she writes. "Shouldn't we be celebrating a child’s arrival, not mourning the death of a part of ourselves?"
The full text of all Editor's Choice articles and summaries of every article are free without registration The full text of Images in ... articles are free to registered users Only fellows can access the full text of case reports (apart from Editor's Choice) - become a fellow today, or encourage your institution to, so that together we can grow and develop this resource \|\|\|\|\| FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2005 file photo, a man sneezes holding a tissue in Berlin, Germany. According to a case study published Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors in England... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2005 file photo, a man sneezes holding a tissue in Berlin, Germany. According to a case study published Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors in England say stifling a big sneeze can be hazardous for your health in rare cases, based on the very unusual... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2005 file photo, a man sneezes holding a tissue in Berlin, Germany. According to a case study published Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors in England say stifling a big sneeze can be hazardous for your health in rare cases, based on the very unusual... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2005 file photo, a man sneezes holding a tissue in Berlin, Germany. According to a case study published Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors in England... (Associated Press) LONDON (AP) — Tempted to stifle a loud or untimely sneeze? Let it out instead, doctors in England warned Monday based on the very unusual case of a man who ruptured the back of his throat when he tried to suppress a sneeze. In a case study published in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors described their initial confusion when the previously healthy man turned up in the emergency room of a Leicester hospital, complaining of swallowing difficulties and "a popping sensation" in his swollen neck. The 34-year-old patient told them his problems started after he tried to stop a forceful sneeze by pinching his nose and closing his mouth. He eventually lost his voice and spent a week in the hospital. "When you sneeze, air comes out of you at about 150 miles per hour," said Dr. Anthony Aymat, director for ear, nose and throat services at London's University Hospital Lewisham, who was not involved in the case. "If you retain all that pressure, it could do a lot of damage and you could end up like the Michelin Man with air trapped in your body." While examining the sneeze-averse patient, doctors in Leicester heard "crackling in the neck" down to his ribcage, a sign that air bubbles had seeped into his chest. Worried about infection and other possible complications, they admitted him to the hospital, gave him a feeding tube and administered antibiotics, according to details published in BMJ Case Reports. Dr. Zi Yang Jiang, a head and neck surgeon at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, said he sees one or two cases arising from repressed sneezes each year, making them an "exceedingly rare" occurrence. Jiang said it was bizarre that a single sneeze could generate enough force to cause the kind of physical damage that usually results from trauma, such as a gunshot wound to the neck. A collapsed lung is among the problems that retaining the air from an imminent sneeze can cause, he said. "The whole point of sneezing is to get something out of your body, like viruses and bacteria, so if you stop that, those may end up in the wrong part of the body," he said. Jiang said in most cases, the excess air is later absorbed by the body. The English patient made a full recovery and was advised to avoid plugging his nose while sneezing in the future. Doctors recommend letting sneezes rip into a tissue instead. "The safest thing to do — although it's not socially acceptable — is just to sneeze loud," Aymat said.	– It's said to be "exceedingly rare," but a study in the BMJ Case Reports journal documents the case of a 34-year-old UK man who showed up at a Leicester hospital complaining he was having a hard time swallowing, and that he felt a "popping sensation" in his neck. After some prodding, doctors discovered the man had suppressed a sneeze by pinching his nose and clamping his mouth shut. That ended up rupturing his throat from the force of the stifled sneeze, rendering him voiceless and landing him in the hospital. Anthony Aymat, a London doctor not involved in the study, explains to the AP that sneezes can escape your body at 150mph or so, and that if you try to keep one inside, "it could do a lot of damage and you could end up like the Michelin Man with air trapped in your body." Although they say a throat rupture like this is rare, the study's researchers elaborate on other potential complications, including a brain aneurysm or eardrum damage, per the Guardian. The University of Texas' Dr. Zi Yang Jiang, who says he sees a couple of sneeze-induced issues each year, tells the AP a collapsed lung is also possible. Doctors used scans to assess this patient and found the popping sound was caused by air bubbles that had formed in his throat tissue and neck. "The whole point of sneezing is to get something out of your body, like viruses and bacteria ... if you stop that, those may end up in the wrong part of the body," Jiang says. The patient was given antibiotics, fed through a tube, and released a week later, with strict instructions to let future sneezes fly. "The safest thing to do—although it's not socially acceptable—is just to sneeze loud," Aymat tells the AP. (Allowing yourself a hearty sneeze could also dislodge the toys stuffed up your nose for decades.)
Police eyeing link to South Park in Times Square car bomb Giancarli for News A car was found Saturday night in Times Square, which later proved to contain cans of flammable liquid and other explosive devices. Police hunting the man who parked a crude but powerful car bomb in Times Square Saturday night are looking into a possible link to a South Park cartoon lampooning censorship about Mohammed. No link has been established, but threats against the Comedy Central animators were made by a New York Islamist Web site last month and police are aggressively looking for connections, sources told the Daily News. The dark-colored Nissan SUV, its engine running and hazard lights flashing, was parked on W. 45th St. right next to the Broadway headquarters of Viacom, which owns Comedy Central. The Pathfinder was packed with propane, gasoline and fireworks and a rudimentary fuse had already been ignited. A vendor saved the day when he saw smoke curling from the car at about 6:30 p.m. and alerted Officer Wayne Rhatigan. The materials were primitive, but if the SUV had blown, officials said the inferno would have eclipsed the blazing lights of the Crossroads of the World. "I think the intent was to cause a significant ball of fire," said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. "We are very, very lucky," said a police source. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the feds were taking it very seriously, treating it as "a potential terrorist attack." "Right now, we have no information other than it is a one-off," she told ABC. "Nonetheless, we are alerting state and local law enforcement - everybody - to be on their toes." A Taliban official in Pakistan took credit in an audio tape posted to YouTube, but officials were hesitant to link the failed attack to international terrorist groups, calling it more likely a "one-off" or "lone wolf." Preliminary signs suggest "that this was not part of any plot by al Qaeda or another known terrorist organization," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). He said the feds picked up no overseas "chatter" before Saturday night's attempted attack. CBS reported that Pakistani intelligence officials were discounting the Taliban claim, saying the group does not have the global reach of al Qaeda. The same group claimed credit for last year's Binghamton massacre of 13 people carried out by laid-off Vietnamese immigrant Jiverly Wong, who had no ties to militant Islam. Last month, RevolutionMuslim.com posted a graphic photo of Theo van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker murdered in 2004 for making documentary on violence against Muslim women. It warned animators Trey Parker and Matt Stone - who had just shown Mohammed hidden in a bear suit - that "they will probably wind up like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show." \|\|\|\|\| These are the chilling first moments when firefighters approached a burning car packed with propane tanks and gasoline, that was intended to deal death and mayhem to the packed crowds of Times Square. A Chicago college student filmed the scene as firefighters yelled “Back up!” to bystanders as the car bomb smoldered near Broadway yesterday evening, an attack that could have been devastating if the explosives had detonated. “That thing blew up … right in front of me,” one man is heard saying, apparently referring to several loud bangs witnesses reported hearing before police evacuated the tourist mecca and sent in the Bomb Squad. Police said the gasoline-and-propane bomb was crude but could have sprayed shrapnel and metal parts with enough force to kill pedestrians and knock out windows on one of America’s busiest streets, full of Broadway theaters and restaurants on a Saturday night. A large amount of fertilizer rigged with wires and fireworks were found with the bomb, but police said it was not the ammonium nitrate grade that can explode. The surveillance video shows an unidentified white man in his 40s slipping down an alley and taking off a shirt, revealing another underneath. In the same clip, he’s seen looking back in the direction of the smoking vehicle and furtively putting the first shirt in a bag, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. The homemade bomb was made largely with ordinary items, including three barbecue grill-size propane tanks, two 5-gallon gasoline containers, store-bought fireworks and cheap alarm clocks attached to wires. “The intent of whoever did this to cause mayhem, create casualties,” Kelly said. Authorities didn’t know how deadly the bomb could have been, how it failed or who was responsible. PHOTOS: TIMES SQUARE BOMB SCARE VIDEO: TIMES SCARE Police had already identified the registered owner of the 1993 Nissan Pathfinder — which didn’t have an easily visible vehicle identification number and had license plates from another car — and were looking to interview him. Police also were searching more video, believed to be in the possession of a Pennsylvania tourist, of the man in the alley. The bomb at Times Square, one of the flashiest and best-known places on Earth, was found at the height of dinner hour before theatergoers headed to Saturday night shows. Timers were connected to a 16-ounce can filled with fireworks, which were apparently intended to set the gas cans and propane afire, Kelly said. He said the bomb “looks like it would have caused a significant fireball” had it fully detonated. He said the vehicle would have been “cut in half” by an explosion and people nearby could have been sprayed by shrapnel and killed. Police had feared that another component — a metal rifle cabinet packed a fertilizer-like substance and rigged with wires and more fireworks — could have made the device even more devastating. Test results late Sunday showed that it was indeed fertilizer — but the New York Police Department’s bomb experts believe it was not a type volatile enough to explode like the ammonium nitrate grade fertilizer used in previous terror attacks, said police spokesman Paul Browne. The exact amount of fertilizer was unknown. Police estimated the cabinet — with a manufacturer-listed weight of 78 pounds — weighed 200 to 250 pounds when they pulled it from the vehicle. New York’s busiest streets, choked with taxis and people on one of the first summer-like days of the year, were shut down for 10 hours, unnerving thousands of tourists attending Broadway show, museums and other city sights. Detectives took the stage at the end of some of shows to announce to theatergoers that they were looking for witnesses in a bombing attempt. “No more New York,” said Crysta Salinas. The 28-year-old Houston woman was stuck waiting in a deli until 2 a.m. because part of a Marriott hotel was evacuated because of the bomb. A Pakistani Taliban group claimed responsibility for the failed attack in a 1-minute video. Kelly, however, said police have no evidence to support the claims, and noted that the same group had falsely taken credit for previous attacks on U.S. soil. The commissioner also cast doubt on an e-mail to a news outlet claiming responsibility. The NYPD and FBI were also examining “hundreds of hours” of security videotape from around Times Square, Kelly said. Police released a photograph of the SUV, a dark-colored Nissan Pathfinder, as it crossed an intersection at 6:28 p.m. Saturday. A vendor pointed the SUV out to an officer about two minutes later. The license plate found on the vehicle did not belong to the SUV; police said it came from a car found in a repair shop in Connecticut. Duane Jackson, a 58-year-old handbag vendor from Buchanan, N.Y., said he noticed the car and wondered who had left it there in a no-standing zone. Jackson said he looked in the car and saw keys in the ignition with 19 or 20 keys on a ring. He said he alerted a passing mounted police officer. They were looking in the car “when the smoke started coming out and then we heard the little pop-pop-pop like firecrackers going out and that’s when everybody scattered and ran back,” he said. “Now that I saw the propane tanks and the gasoline, what if that would have ignited?” Jackson said. “I’m less than 8 feet away from the car.” Times Square lies about four miles north of where terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in 1993, then destroyed it on Sept. 11, 2001. Top federal law enforcement and intelligence officials — President Barack Obama’s national security adviser James Jones, national intelligence director Dennis Blair, CIA chief Leon Panetta, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder — planned to participate in a meeting later Sunday on the bomb. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility in a video posted on the Internet on Sunday, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. SITE, a U.S.-based terrorist tracking organization, first uncovered the video on YouTube; it later appeared to have been removed from the website. In a copy of the video provided by SITE, an unidentified voice speaking in Urdu, the primary language in Pakistan, says the group takes “full responsibility for the recent attack in the USA.” The video does not mention any details about Saturday’s attack. The militant group said the attack was revenge for the death of its leader, Baitullah Mehsud, and the recent slaying of al-Qaida in Iraq leaders Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who were killed by U.S. and Iraqi troops last month north of Baghdad. The video also mentioned Aafia Siddiqui, a 37-year-old Pakistani scientist who was convicted in a U.S. court in New York in February of trying to kill American service personnel after her arrest in Afghanistan in 2008. If the claim is genuine, it would be the first time the Pakistani Taliban has struck outside of South Asia. It has no known global infrastructure like al-Qaida. In at least one past instance, the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack it played no role in. Mehsud reportedly said his men were behind a mass shooting in March 2009 at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, N.Y., in April 2009. That claim turned out to be false. The last terror threat in New York came last fall when air shuttle driver Najibullah Zazi admitted to a foiled homemade bomb plot aimed at the city subway system. The theater district in London was the target of a propane bomb attack in 2007. No one was injured when police discovered two Mercedes loaded with nails packed around canisters of propane and gasoline.	– The Pakistani Taliban says the failed Times Square car bomb was the work of its operatives, but officials investigating the incident are dubious, reports the Daily News. The terrorist group has a history of claiming credit for incidents it had nothing to do with, and initial investigation results suggest "this was not part of any plot by al Qaeda or another known terrorist organization," said Sen. Chuck Schumer. Another possibility is a link to the recent South Park episode about Mohammed, the New York Post reports. Rep. Peter King floated the theory on CNN, quickly calling it "one possibility out of a hundred."
John Gardener died from a heart attack caused by his diabetes and nail biting [GETTY: Pic posed by model] John Gardener’s habit became so severe one finger turned sceptic and in September he had the tip amputated. He died eight days later. The 40-year-old, an amateur football referee from Wigan, Greater Manchester, had suffered ill health through being diabetic and in 2011 had his lower right leg amputated. There could have been more done to help him. It’s just devastating John's mother, Joan \|\|\|\|\| Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe See our privacy notice Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A man died from a heart attack after biting his nails until they bled. John Gardener’s habit had become so severe the infection turned sceptic and caused a fatal heart attack just days after his 40th birthday. He was rushed to hospital but died two weeks later. His fingernail biting was so extreme that doctors believe he became immune to the pain. An inquest heard he been treated for anxiety and depression in the years leading up to his death as his nail-biting habit intensified. He also suffered ill health as a result of being diabetic. John’s GP Dr Daniel Vernon described Mr Gardener’s fingernails as ‘in constant poor condition’, causing him to lose almost all feeling and sensation in them. And his mother Jean Gardener, 60, claimed more could have been done to stop her son's tragic death. Speaking from her home in Wigan, Lancashire, the mum-of-three said: “It was such a tragedy, we’re all in shock. “It’s really hit our family hard, there could’ve been more done to help him. “I wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone else’s son - it’s just devastating." Doctors believe John’s condition was able to deteriorate after he became immune to the pain he would’ve been suffering. Dr Vernon said: “John’s nails were always in poor condition and they were often bleeding when he came to the doctors.” The coroner at the hearing in Bolton heard how John underwent surgery to remove the tip of his finger eight days after being admitted into hospital. Before that, he was treated with intravenous antibiotics and was monitored by medical staff daily to see if his condition improved as he said that he didn’t want to lose his finger. He showed signs of slow but gradual improvement and didn’t display any signs of high temperature or fevers, the inquest heard. Consultant hand and orthopaedic surgeon Chye Ng said he was as shocked by his patient’s sudden death as the family were. He added: “The passing of John Gardener was really upsetting and shocking for all of the team.” The court was told how in 2011 he also underwent an operation to amputate his lower right leg after he contracted leg ulcers - a not uncommon problem among diabetics. A spokesman from Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Hospital Trust said: “We would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Gardener. “We always strive to provide safe, effective and compassionate care to all patients. “It is clear from the evidence given at the inquest that John received a high standard of treatment throughout the time he was under our care.” Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Alan Walsh said: “This is a death of great sadness to everybody - his death happened so suddenly. “I believe John had a difficult life after being diagnosed with diabetes at just 10 months old and not only this, he had to come to terms with self-injecting himself twice a day. “And then he had problems with leg ulcers and problems after surgery because of this.”	– It's a good thing you listened to your mom when she told you not to bite your nails: The bad habit ended up costing one UK man his life. John Gardener, a 40-year-old amateur football referee, bit his fingernails so badly that they bled—leading to an infection that turned septic and caused a fatal heart attack, the Mirror reports. Gardener may have become immune to the pain after years of nail-biting; his doctor says the man's fingernails were "always in poor condition and ... often bleeding," and he'd lost nearly all feeling in them. The habit had only gotten worse in recent years, as he also suffered from anxiety and depression. He was admitted to the hospital in September with septicemia, and was initially treated just with antibiotics because he didn't want to lose his finger, but eight days later, doctors were forced to amputate the tip. Even so, he died two weeks after being admitted, despite showing signs of improvement and no fever. His surgeon says Gardener's death was "upsetting and shocking." His mother insists, "there could've been more done to help him." The family is taking action against the hospital, the Express reports. Gardener, who was also diabetic, had previously had his lower right leg amputated due to leg ulcers. (Click to read about how another bad habit, peeing in the pool, can be dangerous.)
Humblebragging is irritating; this, you know. But the truth about that special, noxious blend of whining and boasting is that it also doesn’t even appear to work the way that humblebraggarts think it does, in that it doesn’t successfully get the intended message across, according to a new working paper from a team of Harvard Business School researchers. Sometimes, you’re better off just regular-bragging. The researchers, Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino, and Michael I. Norton, tested people’s perception of humblebragging across five separate experiments. In one, they asked 302 people to imagine the person who said one of three statements: a complaint (“I am so bored”), a brag (“People mistake me for a model”), or a humblebrag (“I am so bored of people mistaking me for a model”). They were then asked to rate how much they liked this person, judging from this one statement, and how sincere the person seemed. Overall, the study participants liked the complainers the best, and then the braggers; in last place, perhaps not surprisingly, were the humblebraggers. The participants also rated the complainers as most sincere and the humblebraggers as least sincere, which gets at one reason humblebragging is so obnoxious: It comes off as inauthentic. In another experiment, the researchers showed that humblebragging isn’t an effective way to get your point across when compared to straightforward bragging. To test this, they had 201 people either read a brag (“I get hit on all the time”) or a humblebrag (“Just rolled out of bed and still get hit on all the time, so annoying.”); each group was asked to rate how attractive they’d guess the person behind the statement was. The findings showed that people consistently rated humblebraggers as less attractive than the braggers — 4.34 out of 7 for the humblebraggers, as compared to 4.91 for the braggers (a significant difference, though admittedly not a huge one). Humblebragging, then, the researchers conclude, a self-promotion strategy you're better off avoiding. “Faced with the choice to (honestly) brag or (deceptively) humblebrag,” they write, “would-be self-promoters should choose the former — and at least reap the rewards of seeming sincere.” \|\|\|\|\| Working Paper \| HBS Working Paper Series \| 2017 Humblebragging: A Distinct—and Ineffective—Self-Presentation Strategy by Ovul Sezer, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton Abstract Self-presentation is a fundamental aspect of social life, with myriad critical outcomes dependent on others’ impressions. We identify and offer the first empirical investigation of a prevalent, yet understudied self-presentation strategy: humblebragging. Across seven studies including a week-long diary study and a field experiment, we identify humblebragging—bragging masked by a complaint or humility—as a common, conceptually distinct, and ineffective form of self-presentation. We first document the ubiquity of humblebragging across several domains, from everyday life to social media. We then show that both forms of humblebragging—complaint-based or humility-based—are less effective than straightforward bragging, as they reduce liking, perceived competence, and compliance with requests. Despite being more common, complaint-based humblebrags are less effective than humility-based humblebrags and are even less effective than simply complaining. We show that people choose to deploy humblebrags particularly when motivated both to elicit sympathy and impress others. Despite the belief that combining bragging with complaining or humility confers the benefits of each strategy, we find that humblebragging confers the benefits of neither, instead backfiring because it is seen as insincere. Keywords: Humblebragging; impression management; sincerity; liking; competence; interpersonal perception; Self-presentation; Perception; Marketing; Trust; Personal Development and Career; Language: English Format: Print 79 pages SSRN Read Now	– Masking a brag with false modesty—known as a "humblebrag" in today's parlance—may seem like an effective way to boast about your achievements without seeming like, well, an egotistical jerk. But a working paper from Harvard Business School researchers finds exactly the opposite, noting that people may be better off simply bragging and self-promoting without shame than adopting a veneer of faux humility, the Science of Us reports. Even complainers fared better than humblebraggers in the study because they were viewed as more "sincere." The researchers conducted five separate experiments to test how people perceived humblebragging. In one of the experiments, 300 or so people were asked to rate hypothetical people who made the following three statements: "I am so bored" (complaint), "People mistake me for a model" (explicit brag), and the everyone-wishes-they-had this-problem remark of "I am so bored of people mistaking me for a model" (humblebrag). Not only did the participants rate the complainers as the most authentic (braggers came in second), but they also imagined the humblebraggers to be less attractive than the braggarts. "Despite people's belief that combining bragging and complaining confers the benefits of both self-promotion strategies, humblebragging fails to pay off," the researchers conclude. (One writer thinks celebrities are the worst humblebraggers.)
In Post-Katrina Killing, NOPD Cop Testifies Why He Shot Man, Another Explains Why He Burned the Body ProPublica In the ongoing trial of five police officers charged with killing a New Orleans man in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, two of those charged have taken the stand in their own defense. In testimony yesterday and this morning, New Orleans police officer Greg McRae explained his decision to burn the body of 31-year-old Henry Glover, who had been shot by police officer David Warren earlier that day. "I had seen enough bodies," McRae said. "I had seen enough rot." McRae testified that he did not know, at the time, that Glover had been shot by a police officer. He said he was motivated by exhaustion, the trauma of the storm, and the need to get the body away from the makeshift police station where he was based. Glover's death was first detailed by ProPublica nearly two years ago, in an investigative partnership with the Nation Institute and the Nation magazine. In June, the Justice Department indicted five officers in connection with the case. Warren has been charged with shooting Glover; McRae and Lt. Dwayne Scheuermann have been charged with beating three men who tried to help Glover, and then burning Glover's remains; and former Lt. Robert Italiano and Lt. Travis McCabe are charged with covering it up. Last week, in the first day of testimony from the defense, Warren told the jury that he believed his life was in danger when he shot Glover on Sept. 2, 2005. Warren said that Glover was running toward him at the time, and that from the second floor balcony where Warren stood, it appeared that Glover was holding a weapon. His partner that day, NOPD officer Linda Howard, testified earlier in the trial that Glover was actually running away from the strip mall where they stood -- not towards it -- when Glover was shot. In testimony on Monday, Alan Baxter, an expert for the defense, testified that Warren's shooting was justified, and that Warren met the standard for firing his weapon, which requires the reasonable belief that his or someone else's life was in danger. As our partners at the Times-Picayune explain, Baxter himself appeared to be on trial at times, as the prosecution picked apart his qualifications, noting that he has never published any articles about police procedure. Baxter says he is a former executive-level police commander with the United Nations, yet the U.N. has no record of his employment, the prosecution said. A quick look at Baxter's background (PDF) shows that he's not an attorney, but was formerly a member of the Canadian Bar Association as well as two trial lawyers' groups in Washington State. He's listed as a current member of the National Association of Police Chiefs, the American Correctional Association and the American College of Forensics. We called to confirm he's still a member, and learned that his membership in the first two expired earlier this year. The American College of Forensics doesn't give out information on its members, but says that anyone can join, as long as they pay the fees. Baxter's testimony was based on a two-hour interview with Warren, he said. He did not speak with any other witnesses of the event. In addition to saying that Warren's shooting of Glover was justified, Baxter also said that Warren was acting legally when he fired a warning shot at a man earlier in the day. The NOPD's use of force guidelines, explicitly says, "Police Officers shall not fire warning shots." (We have posted the guidelines.) Baxter testified that the guidelines were essentially suggestions rather than rules. The trial is expected to continue at least through the end of the week. Check out nola.com for continued coverage. \|\|\|\|\| In New Orleans, do you get free shots at unarmed men, or don't you? This is the only question that Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro needs to ask himself. If the answer is, as it ought to be, "No,...	– A New Orleans police officer charged with burning the body of a man shot to death by a fellow officer after Katrina testified that he didn't do so to cover up the killing, ProPublica reports. Officer Greg McRae said he was exhausted and stressed, and that he burned the body of 31-year-old Henry Glover inside a car because it was sanitary and efficient: "I had seen enough rot," he said. "I had seen enough bodies." McRae, one of five officers on trial on charges related to Glover's death, also is accused of beating three men who came to Glover's assistance. The officer charged with the actual shooting, David Warren, said earlier in the trial that he opened fire because he thought Glover was running toward him with a weapon; a fellow officer says Glover was actually running away from their makeshift police station. The Times-Picayune has full coverage of the trial here.
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The Army sergeant who abandoned his post in Afghanistan and was held captive by the Taliban could face up to life in prison if convicted of both the charges he's facing. File - In this file image taken from video obtained from Voice Of Jihad Website, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, sits in a vehicle guarded... (Associated Press) Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was charged with misbehavior before the enemy, which carries a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. He was also charged with desertion, which carries a maximum of five years. Bergdahl could also face a dishonorable discharge, reduction in rank and forfeiture of all his pay if convicted of both the charges announced Wednesday. The case now goes to an Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a grand jury. From there, it could be referred to a court-martial and go to trial. \|\|\|\|\| The United States Army has charged Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl with one count of desertion and one count of misbehavior before the enemy, “endangering the safety of a command, unit, or place” in the words of Col. Daniel King at a press conference. Next, Bergdahl will face a hearing to determine if there is probable cause to move forward with a trial—not unlike a civilian grand jury. If Bergdahl is tried and convicted under a court martial, he could serve life in prison for misbehavior or five years in prison for desertion. Bergdahl, 28, disappeared June 2009 from Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan while serving as a private from the 25th Infantry Division. The U.S. military devoted an enormous amount of resources in the search for him, particularly after videos appeared showing him in custody. In addition, his family and their hometown of Hailey, Idaho, fought to keep attention on Bergdahl’s case. In May 2014, Berghdahl was released in exchange for five Taliban members held at Guantanamo Bay who were subsequently transferred to Qatari custody for a year. President Obama made the announcement of Bergdahl’s release in a Rose Garden ceremony flanked by Bergdahl’s parents, even as the circumstances of his disappearance were shrouded in uncertainty and charges that he abandoned his post and troops. And in a June 2014, interview with CNN, Susan Rice, national security adviser, said Bergdahl served with “honor and distinction.” After undergoing an evaluation, Bergdahl was assigned a desk job at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. During his captivity, he was promoted to sergeant. — Nancy A. Youssef \|\|\|\|\| U.S. Army officials announced that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured and spent five years in captivity in Afghanistan after leaving his post, has been charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. (Department of Defense) Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. soldier who slipped away from his patrol base in Afghanistan in 2009 and was held in captivity for five years, has been charged with desertion and misbehaving before the enemy, Army officials said Wednesday, setting the stage for emotionally charged court proceedings in coming months. The charges were announced by the service at Fort Bragg, N.C., hours after the 28-year-old was handed a charge sheet, according to one of his attorneys. Bergdahl will next face a preliminary Article 32 hearing, which is frequently compared to a grand jury proceeding in civilian court. [Checkpoint: For first time, Bowe Bergdahl describes publicly his harsh treatment in captivity] If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison. The Army’s decision comes after nearly 10 months of debate about whether Bergdahl should face charges and about the circumstances of his recovery. Critics — and an independent review by the Government Accountability Office — said President Obama broke the law in authorizing the release of five Taliban detainees held by the United States in exchange for Bergdahl without consulting Congress. Others have insisted that Washington had a responsibility to bring Bergdahl home by any means necessary. Army officials declined Wednesday to elaborate on the decisions they made, citing the ongoing investigation. The charges were authorized by Gen. Mark A. Milley, the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command. [Anger from those who consider Bowe Bergdahl a deserter] Members of Bergdahl’s defense team said Wednesday that they still have not been granted access to the contents of an Army investigation launched last year to look into his disappearance, and the lawyers disputed reports that they had been engaged in plea negotiations. “We ask that all Americans continue to withhold judgment until the facts of the case emerge,” the lawyers said in a statement. “We also ask that government officials refrain from leaking information or engaging in other conduct that endangers our client’s right to a fair trial.” Bergdahl’s attorneys released a lengthy March 2 letter they wrote to Milley urging leniency in light of his time in captivity. They also released a statement to Milley from Bergdahl in which he described being chained to a bed, spread-eagle and blindfolded while being held by the Haqqani network, an insurgent group allied with the Taliban. He said he tried to escape about 12 times over the course of his captivity. “I was kept in constant isolation during the entire 5 years, with little to no understanding of time, through constant periods of constant darkness, periods of constant light, and periods of completely random flickering of light,” Bergdahl wrote at one point. He added that he had “absolutely no understanding of anything that was happening beyond the door I was held behind.” [Bowe Bergdahl’s writings reveal a fragile young man] Bergdahl’s defense team said in the letter to Milley that a trial would add to his stress and decried the politicization of his case. “SGT Bergdahl has been vilified as a coward in the absence of a shred of evidence to support that description,” the lawyers said. The court proceedings will be held at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas, where Bergdahl has served since shortly after a U.S. Special Operations team whisked him away from his captors on a helicopter in Afghanistan on May 31 as part of the prisoner swap. Previously discharged from the Coast Guard for psychological reasons, he is widely believed to have struggled with his mission in Afghanistan and to have walked away under cover of darkness on June 30, 2009. [World Views: Afghan villagers recall when Bergdahl stumbled into their midst] The investigation of Bergdahl’s disappearance was launched last June, with Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl interviewing the sergeant in Texas in August. It is believed that Dahl’s findings, not yet released, will play a prominent role and serve as evidence in Bergdahl’s court case. Thousands of U.S. service members are believed to have deserted their units during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but Bergdahl’s case is uncommon because he allegedly did so while on the battlefield. Some have escaped while in the United States and remain beyond the reach of the military in Canada, parts of Europe and other locations. U.S. troops and veterans have long expressed frustration about Bergdahl’s disappearance, accusing him of deserting his unit on the battlefield and prompting a search that put lives in danger. This photo provided by lawyer Eugene R. Fidell shows Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl preparing to be interviewed by Army investigators in August 2014. (AP Photo/Eugene R. Fidell) Many of those in his unit have been waiting years to see the Army acknowledge potential wrongdoing by Bergdahl, said Nathan B. Bethea, 30, a former Army captain in New York who was deployed with Bergdahl’s battalion when he went missing. “I think they’re pleased because this comes as a surprise,” Bethea said of the overall reaction. “I think that, given how long this has taken, it comes as a shock. The Army never made a statement on what happened. There was always just obfuscation and smoke and mirrors.” The desertion charge carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison, along with a possible reduction in rank and loss of pay and allowances. But the charge of misbehavior before the enemy carries a maximum punishment of confinement for life, a dishonorable discharge, a reduction to private and total forfeiture of pay and allowances since the time of his disappearance, Army officials said. Critics of the exchange that freed the five Taliban officials in exchange for Bergdahl fear that the former Guantanamo detainees will return to hostilities. In exchange for the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. agreed to free five Taliban commanders from the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They were among the Taliban's most influential commanders. (Tom LeGro and Natalie Jennings/The Washington Post) In February, the new director of the military’s Defense Intelligence Agency left open the possibility that at least one of them could return to the battlefield, on the basis of recidivism statistics for former detainees. “So if those numbers translate, of the five who were transferred, probably one in five could be expected to go back into the business,” said Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, the agency director. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been critical of the Obama administration’s handling of the case. He said Wednesday that the Army’s decision is an important step in determining the accountability of Bergdahl. “I am confident that the Department of the Army will continue to ensure this process is conducted with the utmost integrity under the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” said McCain, a former prisoner of war. The Post's Dan Lamothe points out key moments in the video released by the Taliban showing Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's recovery. (Editor's note: This video was originally published June 4, 2014.) (Dan Lamothe and Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said that “we all wanted to bring” Bergdahl home but criticized Obama for not securing guarantees that the released Taliban officials will not return to the battlefield. “I believe it made Americans less safe,” Boehner said. “Knowing that the United States does not negotiate with terrorists is one of our greatest protections, and now it is compromised.” Bergdahl’s case has prompted questions over whether the Obama administration handled the prisoner swap legally. Susan Rice, Obama’s national security adviser, also provoked criticism when she said after Bergdahl’s recovery that he had served “with honor and distinction.” She later acknowledged the remark was controversial and said she was referring to the soldier’s decision to enlist in the first place. “That, in and of itself, is a very honorable thing,” she said. Related on Checkpoint: War-zone deserter? If so, Bowe Bergdahl joins a fascinating and bizarre club. Taliban official swapped for Bowe Bergdahl could return to the battlefield, general says Why the ‘Black Hawk Down’ prisoner release is different than Bowe Bergdahl’s Susan Rice compares Bowe Bergdahl furor to Benghazi uproar	– The US got Bowe Bergdahl released from five years of captivity in Afghanistan, but now it might imprison him for life back home. The Army today charged the 28-year-old sergeant with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, reports the Daily Beast. The first carries a five-year punishment, the latter a life sentence. If convicted on either, he also might have to forfeit any pay he received during his disappearance, reports the Washington Post. Bergdahl, who had reportedly been disillusioned with the US mission in Afghanistan, went missing from his US base in 2009 and ended up a Taliban prisoner until the US brokered his release last year. The case now goes to something called an Article 32 hearing, which the AP explains is the military equivalent of a grand jury. The hearing, which will help determine whether there's enough evidence to proceed to a court-martial, will be held at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas. Bergdahl has been on desk duty there since his release.
Many material trifles, such as Silly Putty, started as attempts at serious inventions, but in rare cases, the process works in reverse: something developed as a gag gift can turn into something truly heroic. Invented by high school prankster Allen Wittman using a home chemistry set, the “worst smell in the world” began as a novelty but eventually came to serve a higher purpose. Dubbed Liquid ASS, it smells as expected: “butt crack, kind of a sewer smell with a hint of dead animal.” When Wittman and a friend were laid off from work, they left some drops of the substance behind in the break room, causing their former employers to replace pipes, appliances and carpets in a vain attempt to alleviate the reek. Given its success in personal pranks, the pair decided to turn their unemployment into an opportunity to start selling this horrible-smelling substance. “We package Liquid ASS in a bottle small enough to hide in the palm of your hand. The bottle dispenses our nasty elixir in a thin, invisible, silent stream, thus equipping the prankster with stealth and speed. These characteristics of Liquid ASS make it the perfect practical joke product.” At first, it was marketed as a gag item (in both senses of the word), but over time it winded up a critical ingredient in combat training simulations. Strategic Operations in California creates complete environments to prepare people for overseas combat in places like Iraq with incredible attention to detail, including actual Iraqi extras staffing fake towns on old television sets. And this is where Liquid ASS comes into play: it mimics a surgery-complicating smell well known to medics, signaling a tear in the intestine and waste leaking into the abdominal cavity. “In order to enhance the perceived threat environment in the training scenarios, Strategic Operations Inc. (STOPS) TV and movie special effects artists create realistic battlefield effects, including rocket propelled grenades, mines, and explosions from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and vehicle borne IEDs (VBIEDs) that are employed by insurgents and suicide bombers.” The realism of these simulations may sound severe, but the goal is serious: to save the lives of soldiers heading overseas. “Smoke, sound, and smell add the highest level of realism safely to simulate the “fog of war”. The level of fidelity achieved in training is so high, that those who are immersed in it call this Hyper-Realistic™ training. For those preparing for combat… it becomes stress inoculation.” Over 750,000 people have trained through Special Operations to date, many subjecting themselves to the atrocious aroma of Liquid ASS in the process. \|\|\|\|\| Liquid ASSets Novelties, LLC. In business since 2005, our mission is to make the world laugh and provide an effective product for practical jokes and harmless revenge. Liquid ASS is a nearly clear liquid having a putrid, ass–like odor. We have received many testimonials from our customers proffering their thoughts of the stench. If you can imagine a mixture of road-kill and butt–crack, you are close. Unleash its fury and Liquid ASS will part your hair. We package Liquid ASS in a bottle small enough to hide in the palm of your hand. The bottle dispenses our nasty elixir in a thin, invisible, silent stream, thus equipping the prankster with stealth and speed. These characteristics of Liquid ASS make it the perfect practical joke product. Liquid ASS has been tested by an independent laboratory and found to be safe. Follow the instructions on the bottle and you are in business. A Brief History of Liquid ASS The original "recipe" of what was to become Liquid ASS was concocted by Assman #1 during his time in high school. He made the most of his new found "equalizer". Targets included his English teacher, the high school lunch room, the visiting basketball team, and even the girl who would eventually become his wife. College and marriage diverted his attention from his prankster ways and the remainder of his stinky liquid was shelved. Some years later, Assman #1 meets Assman #2. Assman #2 is a prank–loving individual and Assman #1 tells him about his stinky liquid. Assman #2 is skeptical that something could possibly work so well. So Assman #1 breaks out the old batch and gives Assman #2 a demonstration. Assman #2 is impressed and has a riot doing all kinds of ASS pranks. Knowing full well that this stinky liquid is far better than anything available, ASSman #2 suggests to Assman #1 that they start a business selling ASS. Assman #1 agrees that this is a good idea and suggests that they name their nasty fluid Liquid ASS. The Assmen's 100% Satisfaction Guarantee The Assmen know that Liquid ASS is the best stink prank on the market. If, for any reason, you are not fully satisfied with the performance and smell of your ASS, we will either send you a replacement or issue you a full refund. If you have any product questions, read our frequently asked Liquid ASS questions, or contact us. To obtain your own bottle of the world's best prank product, go to the Products page of our online store. People love to play jokes using Liquid ASS. Our web page is always being updated with new pranks, practical jokes, and paybacks carried out by our customers, so come back often. If you want to talk to one of the ASSmen in person, please send us an email with your phone number, and we will give you a call. \|\|\|\|\| Style:Single Product Description Liquid ASS is an overwhelming, stinky, funny prank product. Once unleashed, this power-packed, super-concentrated liquid begins to evaporate filling the air with a genuine, foul butt-crack smell with hints of dead animal and fresh poo. The funny pranks you can pull with Liquid ASS are unlimited. Watching the facial grimaces of people and hearing their comments about the part-your-hair, gagging stench will have you laughing until it hurts. Keep out of reach of children. From the Manufacturer Liquid ASS is an overwhelming, stinky, funny prank product. Once unleashed, this power-packed, super-concentrated liquid begins to evaporate filling the air with a genuine, foul butt-crack smell with hints of dead animal and fresh poo. The funny pranks you can pull with Liquid ASS are unlimited. Watching the facial grimaces of people and hearing their comments about the part-your-hair, gagging stench will have you laughing until it hurts. Keep out of reach of children. \|\|\|\|\| Meet Alan Whitman and Andrew Masters – the guys who refused to grow up but got rich anyway. They’ve made a killing out of marketing a one-of-a-kind spray called ‘Liquid Ass’, which makes anything smell as bad as it sounds! The product was born several years ago when Whitman was in high school – his parents had gifted him a chemistry kit and he used the ingredients to invent a smell that had a whiff of “butt crack, kind of sewer smell, with a little hint of dead animal in there.” He used it to play a prank on an English teacher he wasn’t very fond of, and that’s when he realised that what he had on his hands was a real weapon. But the concoction wasn’t useful to him until about 10 years ago, when he was about to get fired from a truck manufacturing company. Things got pretty bad between him and the management, so along with his friend Masters, he decided it was time to bring out his trusty old weapon again. Whitman and Masters spilled some Liquid Ass near the microwave in the office break room and then let the scent work its magic. It stunk up the whole place and the engineers had no clue where the stench was coming from. They fixed the water main, replaced the microwave, pulled up the carpet, and even closed off the bathrooms, but nothing worked. Naturally, the duo didn’t work at the company much longer, but they already knew what they were going to do – make sure Liquid Ass was accessible to everyone who needed it. Despite having their own financial commitments, Whitman and Masters each pooled in $18,000 towards production and marketing. Their families, understandably, thought they were crazy. Whitman’s wife was dead against the idea and Masters’ family thought he’d lost his mind. But they stuck to their belief in the product and two years later, their instincts proved right – Liquid Ass became a huge success. The orders were pouring in – people were buying it to play all sorts of pranks, like spraying it in locker rooms or using it to get back at noisy neighbors. The product had so many applications that Whitman and Masters even diversified their offerings with BARFume, Tex-Ass, Fake Dog Poop, and Bad Karma, which is just Liquid Ass with a less offensive label. Interestingly, Liquid Ass has found use not only as a prank but also to train medical professionals. Liquid Ass is the duo’s only job, and with all the formulas figured out, they don’t really have a lot of work to do on a daily basis. They don’t even need to spend too much on marketing – the horrendous smells pretty much market themselves. Whitman, who handles emails and orders works about an hour a day, while Masters sometimes has days where he does nothing at all. They go into their manufacturing unit in North Carolina about a couple of times a month to do some bottling. “It’s a great life,” according to Whitman. Photos: Facebook, Instagram Sources: KQED, Next Shark \|\|\|\|\| Some companies leave us scratching our heads as to how they became so successful. Liquid Ass, a company founded by best friends Allen Wittman, 45, and Andrew Masters, 49, is one of those companies. Liquid Ass is a product that’s exactly what it says it is: a liquid substance that literally smells like ass. It smells like “butt crack, kind of sewer smell, with a hint of dead animal in there,” according to Wittman. To get an idea of just how bad Liquid Ass smells: the owners sent NextShark a sample and the moment we opened the package, the whole office starting stinking and two of our writers started gagging. Our team had to quickly open the doors to try to let the smell out. Since the company’s inception in 2005, Liquid Ass has been a popular product amongst prankers across the world. It’s Amazon sales page is filled with happy customers leaving review gems like this one: Liquid Ass was invented by Wittman when he was in high school. He came up with it accidentally while experimenting with a chemistry kit his parents gave him, and he used the mixture to play pranks on other students. Andrew (left) and Allen (right) About 15 years later, Wittman was an engineer at a trucking company, but his job was in question after he got notice his company would start outsourcing their work. Remembering that he still had the smelly concoction he made 15 years ago in a Visine bottle, he decide to make the best of his last months at work. He first sprayed it in a work hallway. “I used about half of that, so an eighth of an ounce. It absolutely tore that place up. We got everyone’s attention within 9,000 square feet. The whole thing started smelling like gas. They put a fan out there. People were walking by with their shirts up over their noses. That’s when Andrew was like, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this, you can sell this stuff.’ When the two men decided to sell the concoction as a product, Wittman got to work recreating the recipe. However, he ran into trouble because he wasn’t sure what exactly he had in it. “It took me quite a few tries to come back up with it. I tried two or three times and it absolutely failed, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing different.’ The stuff that I had was about 15 years old. I’ve been out of high school a lot longer than that — I’m 45.” After Wittman finally got the original recipe down, he and Masters launched their company Liquid Assets in 2005. With a smell so pungent and close to the real thing, one wonders whether there’s actually elements of the real thing in Wittman’s concoction. He told NextShark that he went through a liability lawyer and made sure they covered everything. They even put it through a number of tests, including skin testing, ingestion and flammability. “It’s non-flammable. We did tests on some poor little rabbits in Florida. We knew that they’d be fine. They use rabbits for skin testing and irritation because apparently their skin is very sensitive to chemicals and rashes and things of that sort. They mist them with that stuff for 24 hours and they come out smelling like butt crack. It passed all the tests so we went through and made sure everything was good.” “I had lots of calls from doctors that said, ‘Hey we got a little girl here that was sprayed with your product and I’m nervous.’ I said, ‘Is there anything going on?’ He said, ‘No, I’m just nervous about the situation.’ So I said, ‘Does the girl smell like ass?’ He’s like, ‘Oh yeah. Oh yeah.’ Everything was fine but people get nervous. You can look this up on the web. One of your fellow Youtubers drank an ounce — Shoenice.” So the bottom line is that there is supposedly nothing harmful in Liquid Ass. However, that still doesn’t answer the question of whether there is actual feces in it. Wittman recounted a story told to him by a customer who was angry at a fine he had to pay to his local electric company. “So he gets his bill and he’s gotta pay like $200 to $300 for a fine. He’s like, ‘OK, I’m going to write them a check.’ So he took the check and coats it with Liquid Ass and lets it dry. He goes to the the office, which still used those tubes — so you can think of a bank with a teller, the suction tubes to send checks through. He goes up there and he runs the check through the tube. They close it up and they leave. Well, the next day this guy gets a call from the cop who says, ‘Sir you need to come down to the police station immediately. “He gets there and the cop is looking at him and says, ‘Apparently you put feces on this check’ and holds up a bag, like an evidence bag with the check in in it, claiming that he had wiped his ass with that check. The cop said, ‘We’re going to send it to the lab and have it checked. You’re going to jail if we find anything on this.’ The test came back 100% clean of feces — so Liquid Ass contains no actual feces in their product. Since its launch 10 years ago, the product has been a success. Though Wittman and Masters admit that they’re not millionaires, the men make more money than their managers did back in their engineering jobs. “We were working 55 to 60 hours a week normally. Now, like I say, an hour a day, maybe less maybe more.” Most of their sales come from word of mouth and from pranksters on Youtube using their product. “We just keep getting better and better every year. We don’t even make Youtube videos anymore. We started doing a couple. Now there’s so many people uploading videos, it’s just taken over everything.” Surprisingly, the product has other uses aside from an epic prank tool. It’s also been used for medical training in colleges and psychological therapy. “It’s for simulations. Simulation when these kids are working on dummies — you have to be able to handle that in a real life situation if someone smells, so it gets them better prepared. There’s also another guy that uses it in sort of a psychology scenario where he cures people on drugs to help make better choices, and he uses Liquid Ass as one of the bad choices in his psychology session. There are some real applications with it that go beyond just panks.” \|\|\|\|\| Liquid Ass has the power to make everyone very ill at Christmas (Picture: Boing Boing) The ultimate stocking filler has arrived – and it smells of pant filler. Liquid Ass, the most appalling smell known to humanity, has been bottled for your disgust, or perhaps pleasure. So now you can recreate the smell of festival toilets, a soiled nappy or a burst sewer in the comfort of your own home. The possibilities are endless. The liquid is used by the US military in war simulations to get medics used to the smell of a torn intestine. Yum. You can buy the smell, described as a mixture of ‘butt crack, kind of a sewer smell with a hint of dead animal’, on Amazon for between £8 and £9. MORE: Noel Gallagher slams Adele’s album 25 as ‘cheesy music for f***ing grannies’ \|\|\|\|\| Beware of Chinese Counterfeit Liquid ASS Yes, the Chinese have now targeted Liquid ASS as their latest knock-off product. We are working on this problem. In the meantime, only buy directly from us while we work with authorities to stop the counterfeiting. The Chinese fake Liquid ASS smells like garlic and could be toxic. We are one of the few novelty companies left in the USA. With your help we can keep it that way. We ask that you help all US companies by avoiding products made in China.	– Imagine the worst smell you can think of. Now imagine the scent of "butt crack…with a hint of dead animal." That's how Allen Wittman, 45, describes his creation, Liquid ASS—a smelly spray initially intended to be used in pranks. "We package Liquid ASS in a bottle small enough to hide in the palm of your hand. The bottle dispenses our nasty elixir in a thin, invisible, silent stream, thus equipping the prankster with stealth and speed," reads a product description, per the 99% Invisible podcast. Available for $10 on Amazon, it’s now used by the US military to harden medics to the smell of a torn intestine leaking waste. Yes, it's that bad. Metro describes the scent as "the most appalling smell known to humanity," adding the product lets you "recreate the smell of festival toilets, a soiled [diaper], or a burst sewer in the comfort of your own home." Who goes about creating such a spray? A teenager, obviously. Wittman was playing around with a chemistry kit in high school when he invented a "kind of sewer smell" and used it to prank his English teacher, a visiting basketball team, and even his future wife, per the product website. For the next 10 years, his invention went mostly unused, per Oddity Central. Then, when they were fired from a truck manufacturing company, Whitman and his co-worker Andrew Masters spritzed the office with "an eighth of an ounce" of the stuff, reports NextShark. Engineers fixed the water main, replaced the microwave, removed the carpet, and blocked off the bathrooms without discovering the source of the smell. After that, the pair spent $36,000 to offer Liquid ASS to consumers. It's now flying off the shelves along with Whitman and Master's other products: BARFume, Tex-Ass, and Fake Dog Poop. (This town smelled like cat pee.)
Only 106,000 people signed up for coverage in the new Obamacare exchanges as of Nov. 2, administration officials announced in the first official update of enrollment since the law’s disastrous Oct. 1 launch. One-quarter of those people came through the flawed HealthCare.gov site, which is used by 36 states. The rest selected plans in the 14 states and the District of Columbia that are running their own health insurance exchanges, most of which are operating much better than the federal site. Text Size - + reset Republicans focus on Obamacare The numbers are the first official glimpse of the damage caused by the tech failures with the law’s enrollment portal HealthCare.gov, and they fall well short of the administration’s early goal of having about a half-million sign up in the first month. The administration is hoping to get 7 million people signed up in the exchanges and at least 8 million in Medicaid by the time the open enrollment season ends March 31. (PHOTOS: Obamacare online glitches: 25 great quotes) Even those first-year goals are arguably modest: There are about 47 million uninsured people in the country, although that includes undocumented immigrants ineligible for Obamacare coverage. The White House has been tamping down expectations for weeks, warning that they have always expected the first month of enrollment to be low, even before the gravity of the website problems became clear. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius maintained that the system is beginning to work, albeit slowly. “Even with the issues we’ve had, the marketplace is working and people are enrolling,” she told reporters on a call. (See POLITICO's full Obamacare coverage) “We can reasonably expect that these numbers will grow substantially over the next five months,” she added. Republicans pointed out that the sign-up numbers are puny compared with the millions of Americans who are receiving cancellation notices and losing the health plans that the president promised they could keep. “Pretty stunning” is how House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) summed it up on CNN. “Just another day in a series of mess-ups in Obamacare.” Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said everyone who had signed up nationwide could fit into the University of Tennessee stadium “and still have room for the ‘Pride of the Southland’ marching band.” He added, “That’s bad news for the 5 million Americans who’ve had their policies canceled by Obamacare.” The statistics HHS released Wednesday afternoon included people who had selected their health plan — but not necessarily paid for it, the final step in enrollment. People have until Dec. 15 to pay for coverage starting in January. (Also on POLITICO: Issa hearing shows Obamacare deadline slipping) An additional 392,000 people were deemed eligible for either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program under the law. And in what advocates of the law pointed to as an encouraging sign, close to 1 million — 975,407 people — had made it through the process of applying and confirming their eligibility, although they had not yet selected plans. Anne Filipic, president of Enroll America, said in a statement the larger numbers of people in the pipeline “confirm what we have been expecting — the problems with the website have indeed slowed enrollment, but Americans are hungry for the affordable, comprehensive coverage.” The administration did not release details on the demographics of those who enrolled, what kind of insurance plan they chose or whether they qualified for subsidies. A well-functioning insurance market needs healthy, younger participants to balance the costs of older and sicker ones, but the numbers released Wednesday gave no hint of early trends or eventual sustainability. Sebelius said such information would be included in future reports. Almost a third of all the exchange sign-ups came from California, a state the White House indicated will play a large role in shaping the law’s trajectory. Shortly after the HHS announcement, Covered California, the state exchange, updated its own tally, 60,000 as of Nov. 12. The federal count went through Nov. 2. Executive Director Peter Lee said the pace had doubled from October, with 2,000 now selecting a plan each day. (PHOTOS: 10 Sebelius quotes about the Obamacare website) The administration is placing a heavy emphasis on enrollments in California, Florida and Texas, which are home to one-third of the nation’s uninsured. Sign-ups in Florida and Texas, which are relying on the federal exchange, were much lower — 3,571 and 2,991, respectively. Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economics professor who advised policymakers crafting the Massachusetts health law and Obamacare, said he doesn’t think the enrollment numbers are “disappointing.” He noted that the Massachusetts exchange enrolled only 123 people in the first month. By that measure, he said, the federal government is doing well. “It’s just too early to say anything useful,” Gruber said on CNN. In Massachusetts, enrollment surged at the end of the enrollment period, which is probably what people will do on the Obamacare exchanges, Gruber said. “There’s no need to panic,” he said. Paige Winfield Cunningham contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| The administration says fewer than 27,000 people managed to enroll for health insurance last month in the 36 states relying on the problem-filled federal website for President Barack Obama's overhaul. House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., holds up a checklist related to the preparation for the implementation of the Obamacare healthcare program, and specifically, the HealthCare.gov... (Associated Press) House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. makes an opening statement as his panel holds its first public hearing on problems implementing the Obamacare healthcare program, on Capitol... (Associated Press) Todd Park, U.S. chief technology officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, who was previously chief technology officer at the Health and Human Services Department, raises his... (Associated Press) From left, David Powner, director of information technology management issues at the Government Accountability Office; Henry Chao, deputy chief information officer for Medicare and Medicaid Services;... (Associated Press) The dismal numbers released Wednesday by federal health officials were even lower than estimates recently circulated. There was one bright spot: States running their own websites did better than the feds, reporting more than 79,000 sign-ups. Even so, total private insurance enrollment after the first month of the health care rollout was only about one-fifth what the administration had expected during that time period. Enrollment numbers totaled 106,185. A Sept. 5 administration estimate had projected that 494,620 people would enroll in the first month. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says she expects things to improve. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. After weeks of criticism over the balky rollout of the health care sign-up website, the Obama administration is releasing figures on how many people have successfully enrolled through the new federal insurance exchanges. In advance, officials are lowering expectations for the numbers, given the widespread technical issues that have hampered the website since its Oct. 1 launch. The tightly held numbers being released Wednesday are believed to amount to only a small fraction of the nearly 500,000 initial sign-ups that administration officials had projected before the healthcare.gov site went live. The figures are expected to cover sign-ups that occurred in October, the first month of the six-month enrollment window. Officials say they expect enrollment to be heavier toward the end of that period. The announcement was coming as congressional investigators held hearings into the technical issues behind the dysfunctional rollout of the website. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, had a long list of issues: insufficient testing, possible security flaws, design shortcomings _ even allegations of political meddling. But there didn't seem to be a "smoking gun" behind the technical failure that has mortified supporters of President Barack Obama's health care law and cheered its opponents. The technology's cost to taxpayers: north of $600 million and climbing. It was the sixth major congressional hearing since computerized insurance markets went live Oct. 1 and millions of consumers encountered frozen screens. The oversight committee was sharply divided along partisan lines. "Established best practices of our government were not used in this case," said Issa. As a result, the law's promise of affordable health insurance "does not exist today in a meaningful way." Like other Republicans, Issa wants the law repealed, not fixed. Ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings of Maryland questioned Issa's fairness. Addressing Issa directly, Cummings said: "Over the past month, instead of working in a bipartisan manner to improve the website, you've politicized this issue by repeatedly making unfounded allegations." A key issue for Issa is why the administration required consumers to first create online accounts at HealthCare.gov before they could shop for health plans. That runs counter to the common e-commerce practice of allowing anonymous window-shopping. Outside experts say it increased the workload on a wobbly system. Issa and other Republicans suspect a political motive; Democrats say the explanation has to do with technical issues. The shopping feature had its own glitches and would have compounded system problems. The hearing featured Henry Chao, a little-known Medicare official, who had presented an overview of the enrollment system back in the spring, and commented then, "Let's just make sure it's not a third-world experience." Chao is deputy chief information officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which also is leading the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. A career official who earlier helped implement the Medicare prescription drug benefit, he is widely seen as the operational official most knowledgeable about the health care law's online system. Chao's public comment in March at an insurance industry forum was taken as an edgy joke, and he later joined the parade of administration officials who assured lawmakers that everything was on track for a smooth launch, even as nonpartisan experts from the congressional Government Accountability Office warned that could not be taken for granted. Issa's investigators previously grilled Chao in a private session that lasted nine hours. Chao's name appears on a key Sept. 27 document authorizing the launch of the website despite incomplete security testing. But Issa's staff has released materials indicating that Chao was unaware of a memo earlier that month detailing unresolved security issues. On Wednesday, Chao testified that he is confident that the system is secure. In fact, he said he had recommended to his sister that she try it. Chao was also involved in the decision not to allow anonymous window-shopping, which is available on most e-commerce sites, including Medicare.gov. He testified Wednesday that the shopping feature "miserably" failed testing and would not have been a help to consumers. Chao said that shortly before the launch he directed a contractor to turn off the shopping feature, and instead apply resources to a more critical function. Issa has suggested a political calculation: The administration wanted to avoid consumers experiencing "sticker shock" over premiums, so it first required them to compute tax credits that work like a discount. The committee also heard from Todd Park, the White House chief technology officer. He testified that the website is getting better day by day, and week by week. It can now handle about 17,000 account registrations an hour. Page response times are under one second. But Park balked when Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., asked what letter grade he would give to the website rollout. "Obviously it's been really, really rocky," said Park. "It's what nobody wanted." Separately, the House Homeland Security Committee held its own hearing Wednesday. It gave Republicans a chance to criticize the health care law and the botched online rollout. But it resulted in few answers on the security of the website because officials testifying from Homeland Security said that wasn't their responsibility. While that department helps federal agencies like Health and Human Services comply with federal security standards, the law leaves many of the technical decisions up to the agencies themselves, the officials said. ___ Associated Press writer Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.	– The White House has been trying to dampen expectations about first-month enrollment in ObamaCare, and here's why: The administration said today that 26,794 people signed up in October via the federal HealthCare.gov website, reports AP. About 80,000 more signed up on state-run exchanges. Prior to the launch of ObamaCare, White House officials predicted about 500,000 would be on board by now—on both the federal and state exchanges—but the final tally came in at 106,185. That's a decent snapshot of just how badly the federal HealthCare.gov website has performed: It covers people in 36 states, while the 14 states running their own marketplaces managed to about triple its total. The number of enrollees reflects those who have selected a plan, not necessarily paid for it, notes Politico. The federal number is actually lower than what the Wall Street Journal reportedly previously, but at least it's up from the whopping first-day total of ... six.
What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us Enlarge this image toggle caption Karen M. Romanko/Getty Images Karen M. Romanko/Getty Images Back in the 1960s, the fact that our diets influence the risk of heart disease was still a new idea. And there was a debate about the role of fats and the role of sugar. The sugar industry got involved in efforts to influence this debate. "What the sugar industry successively did," argues Stanton Glantz of the University of California, San Francisco, "is they shifted all of the blame onto fats." The industry's strategies were sophisticated, Glantz says, and are similar to those of the tobacco industry. For instance, in 1965 an industry group, the Sugar Research Foundation, secretly funded a scientific review that downplayed the evidence that linked sugar consumption to blood fat levels. The review was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Now, what's come to light in an investigation published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Biology is that the industry funded its own research project, but never disclosed the findings. Glantz and his collaborators, including Cristin Kearns, an assistant professor at UCSF, evaluated a bunch of sugar industry internal documents. Here's what they found: Back in 1968, the Sugar Research Foundation, a predecessor to the International Sugar Research Foundation, paid a researcher to lead a study with lab animals. Initial results showed that a high-sugar diet increased the animals' triglyceride levels, a type of fat in the blood, through effects on the gut bacteria. In people, high triglycerides can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The study also found that animals fed sugar had higher levels of an enzyme associated with bladder cancer in their urine. The study was halted before it was completed. Glantz says the researcher asked for more time to continue the study, but the Sugar Research Foundation pulled the plug on the project. The Sugar Association, a trade group based in Washington, D.C., that has organizational ties to the Sugar Research Foundation, released a statement on this new investigation. "The study in question ended for three reasons, none of which involved potential research findings," the association says. The statement goes on to explain that the study was over budget and delayed. "The delay overlapped with an organizational restructuring with the Sugar Research Foundation becoming a new entity, the International Sugar Research Foundation," the statement says. The trade group says sugar consumed in moderation is part of a balanced lifestyle, and in its statement the group says "we remain committed to supporting research to further understand the role sugar plays in consumers' evolving eating habits." But critics argue that the industry is still trying to slow down the consensus on the health risks linked to sugar consumption. In the PLOS Biology paper, Glantz and his co-authors argue that the ongoing controversy surrounding sugar in our diets "may be rooted in more than 60 years of food and beverage industry manipulation of science." In recent years, new evidence has emerged that links sugary diets to heart disease. But could we have gotten the message sooner? UCSF's Kearns argues that if the sugar industry had published its findings decades ago, it would have added to a growing body of evidence. "Had this information been made public, there would have been a lot more research scrutiny of sugar," Kearns told us. Kearns says the sugar industry has "a lot of money and influence" and still uses its influence to cast doubt on the recommendation to limit added sugars to no more than 10 percent of daily calories. In a trade association publication last year, the president and CEO of the Sugar Association described this recommended limit on sugar, which is part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as "scientifically out of bounds." \|\|\|\|\| Researchers say negative health impacts of sucrose could have been combated sooner had research been released – but industry bodies dispute the findings Sugar’s demise from childhood staple to public enemy can be seen everywhere. Chocolate bars are shrinking, sugary drinks are set to be taxed and our recommended daily sugar intake has been slashed in half. But the battle against sugar might have begun sooner if the industry hadn’t kept secrets to protect its commercial interests, according to new findings. In 1967, when scientists were arguing over the link between sugar consumption and increased risk of heart disease, researchers now claim that the International Sugar Research Foundation (ISRF) withheld findings that rats that were fed a high-sugar diet had higher levels of triglycerides (a fat found in the blood) than those fed starch. In a move researchers from the University of California at San Francisco have compared to the tobacco industry’s self-preservation tactics, the foundation stopped funding the project. Sugar lobby paid scientists to blur sugar's role in heart disease – report Read more Cristin Kearns, one of the researchers who analysed ISRF documents, says, “ISRF’s research was designed to cast doubt on the importance of elevated triglycerides in the blood as a heart disease risk factor. It is now commonly accepted that triglycerides are a risk factor, but this was controversial for decades. I think the scientific community would have come to consensus about elevated triglycerides being a risk factor for heart disease much sooner [if the research been published].” A year later the foundation funded Project 259, looking into the effects of sucrose consumption in the intestinal tracts of rats. It found a possible link between sugar consumption and increased risk of bladder cancer, and described the findings as “one of the first demonstrations of a biological difference between sucrose and starch fed rats”. But the ISRF terminated the project’s funding before the experiments were finished, despite the study having already lasted 27 months, and requiring only three more months. The study, the researchers argue in their new paper, published in the journal Plos Biology, could possibly have had implications for humans, and indicates how ISRF downplayed sugar’s role in cardiovascular disease due to commercial interests. Kearns says, “ISRF’s primary purpose was, and still is as the Sugar Association and the World Sugar Research Organisation, to sell more sucrose. Our previous paper and this one demonstrate that ISRF’s research program was designed to support its business interests at the expense of the public.” The sugar conspiracy \| Ian Leslie Read more The problem could be much bigger than the two ISRF studies the researchers have scrutinised. The researchers conclude that the debates we now have on sugar’s effects on our health are potentially rooted in six decades of the sugar industry’s manipulation of scientific evidence. “ISRF sponsored more than 300 research projects between 1943 and 1972, and its successor organisations continue to fund research,” Keanrs says. “I think it’s safe to say the problem is more widespread than what’s outlined in the paper.” In response to the paper, the ISFR’s successor, the Sugar Association, said in a statement: “The article we are discussing is not actually a study, but a perspective: a collection of speculations and assumptions about events that happened nearly five decades ago, conducted by a group of researchers and funded by individuals and organisations that are known critics of the sugar industry. “We reviewed our research archives and found documentation that the study in question ended for three reasons, none of which involved potential research findings: the study was significantly delayed; it was consequently over budget; and the delay overlapped with an organisational restructuring … There were plans to continue the study with funding from the British Nutrition Foundation, but, for reasons unbeknown to us, this did not occur.” \|\|\|\|\| A U.S. sugar industry trade group appears to have pulled the plug on a study that was producing animal evidence linking sucrose to disease nearly 50 years ago, researchers argue in a paper publishing on November 21 in the open access journal PLOS Biology. Researchers Cristin Kearns, Dorie Apollonio and Stanton Glantz from the University of California at San Francisco reviewed internal sugar industry documents and discovered that the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) funded animal research to evaluate sucrose's effects on cardiovascular health. When the evidence seemed to indicate that sucrose might be associated with heart disease and bladder cancer, they found, the foundation terminated the project without publishing the results. In a previous analysis of the documents, Kearns and Glantz found that SRF had secretly funded a 1967 review article that downplayed evidence linking sucrose consumption to coronary heart disease. That SRF-funded review noted that gut microbes may explain why rats fed sugar had higher cholesterol levels than those fed starch, but dismissed the relevance of animal studies to understanding human disease. In the new paper in PLOS Biology, the team reports that the following year, SRF (which had changed its name in 1968 to the International Sugar Research Foundation, or ISRF) launched a rat study called Project 259 'to measure the nutritional effects of the [bacterial] organisms in the intestinal tract' when sucrose was consumed, compared to starch. The ISRF-funded research on rats by W.R.F. Pover of the University of Birmingham suggested that gut bacteria help mediate sugar's adverse cardiovascular effects. Pover also reported findings that might indicate an increased risk of bladder cancer. "This incidental finding of Project 259 demonstrated to ISRF that sucrose vs. starch consumption caused different metabolic effects," Kearns and her colleagues argue, "and suggested that sucrose, by stimulating urinary beta-glucuronidase, may have a role in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer." The ISRF described the finding in a September 1969 internal document as "one of the first demonstrations of a biological difference between sucrose and starch fed rats." But soon after ISRF learned about these results--and shortly before the research project was complete--the group terminated funding for the project, and no findings from the work were published. In the 1960s, scientists disagreed over whether sugar could elevate triglycerides relative to starch, and Project 259 would have bolstered the case that it could, the authors argue. What's more, terminating Project 259 echoed SRF's earlier efforts to downplay sugar's role in cardiovascular disease. The results suggest that the current debate on the relative effects of sugar vs. starch may be rooted in more than 60 years of industry manipulation of science. Last year, the Sugar Association criticized a mouse study suggesting a link between sugar and increased tumor growth and metastasis, saying that "no credible link between ingested sugars and cancer has been established." The analysis by Kearns and her colleagues of the industry's own documents, in contrast, suggests that the industry knew of animal research suggesting this link and halted funding to protect its commercial interests half a century ago. "The kind of manipulation of research is similar what the tobacco industry does," according to co-author Stanton Glantz. "This kind of behavior calls into question sugar industry-funded studies as a reliable source of information for public policy making." "Our study contributes to a wider body of literature documenting industry manipulation of science," the researchers write in the PLOS Biology paper. "Based on ISRF's interpretation of preliminary results, extending Project 259's funding would have been unfavorable to the sugar industry's commercial interests." SRF cut off funding before that could happen. ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS Biology: http://journals. plos. org/ plosbiology/ article?id= 10. 1371/ journal. pbio. 2003460 Citation: Kearns CE, Apollonio D, Glantz SA (2017) Sugar industry sponsorship of germ-free rodent studies linking sucrose to hyperlipidemia and cancer: An historical analysis of internal documents. PLoS Biol 15(11): e2003460. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journal. pbio. 2003460 Funding: The Laura and John Arnold Foundation http://www. arnoldfoundation. org/ (CEK,SAG). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (grant number DE-007306). (CEK). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Samuel Lawrence Foundation https:/ / www. samuellawrencefoundation. org/ . (Provided funding for document acquisition). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. National Cancer Institute (grant number CA-140236). (DA). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. UCSF Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. (CEK). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. UCSF School of Dentistry Department of Orofacial Sciences and Global Oral Health Program. (CEK). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Gary Taubes, MS, co-founder of Nutrition Science Initiative http://nusi. org/ . (Provided funding for CEK to travel to the Harvard Medical Library). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. National Cancer Institute (grant number CA-087472). (SAG). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. \|\|\|\|\| In 1965, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) secretly funded a review in the New England Journal of Medicine that discounted evidence linking sucrose consumption to blood lipid levels and hence coronary heart disease (CHD). SRF subsequently funded animal research to evaluate sucrose’s CHD risks. The objective of this study was to examine the planning, funding, and internal evaluation of an SRF-funded research project titled “Project 259: Dietary Carbohydrate and Blood Lipids in Germ-Free Rats,” led by Dr. W.F.R. Pover at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom, between 1967 and 1971. A narrative case study method was used to assess SRF Project 259 from 1967 to 1971 based on sugar industry internal documents. Project 259 found a statistically significant decrease in serum triglycerides in germ-free rats fed a high sugar diet compared to conventional rats fed a basic PRM diet (a pelleted diet containing cereal meals, soybean meals, whitefish meal, and dried yeast, fortified with a balanced vitamin supplement and trace element mixture). The results suggested to SRF that gut microbiota have a causal role in carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia. A study comparing conventional rats fed a high-sugar diet to those fed a high-starch diet suggested that sucrose consumption might be associated with elevated levels of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme previously associated with bladder cancer in humans. SRF terminated Project 259 without publishing the results. The sugar industry did not disclose evidence of harm from animal studies that would have (1) strengthened the case that the CHD risk of sucrose is greater than starch and (2) caused sucrose to be scrutinized as a potential carcinogen. The influence of the gut microbiota in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on blood lipids, as well as the influence of carbohydrate quality on beta-glucuronidase and cancer activity, deserve further scrutiny. Funding: The Laura and John Arnold Foundation http://www.arnoldfoundation.org/ . (CEK, SAG). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (grant number DE-007306). (CEK). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Samuel Lawrence Foundation https://www.samuellawrencefoundation.org/ . (Provided funding for document acquisition). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. National Cancer Institute (grant number CA-140236). (DA). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. UCSF Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. (CEK). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. UCSF School of Dentistry Department of Orofacial Sciences and Global Oral Health Program. (CEK). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Gary Taubes, MS, co-founder of Nutrition Science Initiative http://nusi.org/ . (Provided funding for CEK to travel to the Harvard Medical Library). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. National Cancer Institute (grant number CA-087472). (SAG). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Copyright: © 2017 Kearns et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Introduction In 2017, whether fructose-containing sugars (e.g., sucrose) and starch have differential effects on blood lipids continues to be debated in the scientific literature [1–3]. Studies funded by the food and beverage industry or conducted by authors with food and beverage industry conflicts of interest have been critical of evidence indicating that fructose has unique metabolic effects, while those without such conflicts reach an opposite conclusion [4–6]. The seemingly intractable nature of this controversy may be rooted in more than 60 years of food and beverage industry manipulation of science. We previously reported, based on internal sugar industry documents, that the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) secretly funded a 1967 review in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) that discounted evidence linking sucrose consumption to coronary heart disease (CHD) [7]. Using the same methodology and internal document sources (see S1 Appendix), this paper presents data that suggest that in 1970, SRF withheld information from the public that the microbiome may be an important contributing factor to sucrose-induced hypertriglyceridemia and that sucrose consumption, compared to starch, might be associated with bladder cancer. The Sugar Association, a United States sucrose industry trade association [8] (which has organizational ties to SRF, the International Sugar Research Foundation [ISRF], and ISRF’s successor, the World Sugar Research Organisation, based in London, UK [9]), has consistently denied [10–12] that sucrose has any metabolic effects related to chronic disease beyond its caloric effects. On January 5, 2016, the Sugar Association issued a press release [13] criticizing findings from a study published in Cancer Research [14] using multiple mouse models that suggested that dietary sugar induces increased tumor growth and metastasis when compared to a nonsugar starch diet. The Sugar Association stated that “no credible link between ingested sugars and cancer has been established.” In contrast, this paper provides empirical data suggesting that the sugar industry terminated funding of an animal study that was finding unfavorable results with respect to the association between dietary sugars and cancer, with possible translational importance to humans. Our study contributes to a wider body of literature documenting industry manipulation of science. Industries seeking to influence regulation have a history of funding research resulting in industry-favorable interpretations of controversial evidence related to health effects of smoking [15,16], therapeutic effects of pharmaceutical drugs [17,18], the relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and weight gain or obesity [5], and the causes of climate change, [19] among other issues. The tobacco industry also has a long history of conducting research on the health effects of its products that is often decades ahead of the general scientific community and not publishing results that do not support its agenda [20–23]. This paper provides empirical data suggesting that the sugar industry has a similar history of conducting, but not publishing studies with results that are counter to its commercial interests. SRF launches Project 259 Based on its sponsorship of the 1967 NEJM review [24,25], SRF was aware of peer-reviewed published animal evidence suggesting a role of intestinal microbiota in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on blood lipids. The NEJM review [25] reported that starch-fed rats had significantly higher biliary excretion of bile acids [26] and lower serum cholesterol levels [27] than sucrose-fed rats. When the antibiotic sulfasuxidene was added to similar diets, the serum cholesterol level of the starch-fed rats rose, while in sucrose-fed rats, it did not [27], leading the NEJM review to report, “dietary influence on the intestinal [microbiota] was therefore suggested” [25]. In correspondence with NEJM review author D. Mark Hegsted in 1965, SRF Vice President of Research John Hickson posited that the differential effects of sucrose and starch on serum cholesterol might be explained by differences in the bacterial synthesis of thiamine in the intestine [28]. Hickson [28] referred to a 1964 paper, “Dietary Fats and Intestinal Thiamine Synthesis in Rats” [29], which summarized experimental evidence from animals indicating that the dietary requirement for thiamine was dependent on the type of carbohydrate consumed. The paper reported that rats fed a thiamine-deficient diet develop symptoms of a thiamine deficiency more rapidly when fed glucose or sucrose compared to potato starch and that thiamine deficiency was delayed with the administration of antibiotics. These results, according to the article, suggested that both starches and certain antibiotics encouraged the growth of thiamine-synthesizing gut bacteria, while sucrose did not. Hickson referred to the role of intestinal thiamine synthesis in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on blood lipids as: Representative of a fact that has disturbed me for some time. The change from [sucrose] an essentially soluble [carbohydrate] to [raw starch] an essentially insoluble carbohydrate does provide a change in the [bacterial] synthesis [of thiamine in the intestine] and I have not been convinced that this factor has been eliminated [28]. In his correspondence with Hegsted, Hickson inquired about the possible role of intestinal thiamine synthesis in a then-recent clinical trial comparing the effect of carbohydrate quality on serum cholesterol levels conducted by Hegsted and colleagues [28]. In contrast to previous trials by other investigators, which had found differential effects of high-sucrose and high-starch diets on serum cholesterol, Hegsted and colleagues had found none. Hickson asked Hegsted whether these conflicting results might be related to differences in the thiamine status of experimental groups. It is not clear whether SRF communicated with Hegsted further about the role of gut microbiota and thiamine synthesis in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on blood lipids, but the industry continued to explore the topic. SRF launched Project 259 in 1968 [30] in an “attemp[t] to measure the nutritional effects of the [bacterial] organisms in the intestinal tract” when sucrose was consumed, compared to starch [31]. SRF explained Project 259’s rationale in an internal report: It has been postulated that there might be a dietary significance in the indigestible residues of starch in the intestinal contents, which might account for the observed differences in the lipid carbohydrate-interactions between the simple sugars versus complex sugars [32]. SRF consulted with Professor Alastair Frazer, head of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, to select the experimental model [33]. Despite the conclusion of the SRF-sponsored NEJM review that animal models had little value in evaluating sucrose’s CHD risks, SRF selected the germ-free rat for Project 259 (germ-free isolators to create and maintain germ-free laboratory animals had been developed in the 1940s [34]). In the 1960s, parallel studies with germ-free and conventional rats were considered a good model to examine the relationship between dietary factors, the gut microbiota, and blood lipids [29]. SRF chose W.F.R. Pover, a colleague of Frazer’s at the University of Birmingham, to lead the project. He was provided US$29,304 (US$187,583 in 2016 dollars) between June 1968 and September 1970 to conduct the study [31]. Project 259 links sucrose consumption to cancer SRF, which became ISRF in July 1968, initially authorized 15 months of funding for Project 259 between June 1968 and September 1969 [35]. By ISRF’s June 1969 site visit to Pover’s lab, because of delays in receiving the equipment needed for the main experiment, Pover had conducted only initial studies with various rat strains and germ-free guinea pigs [32]. Pover’s initial experiments produced results that ISRF representatives found to be “of particular interest” (Fig 1B) [32]. According to its September 1969 Quadrennial Report of Research, Among [Project 259’s] observations was … that the urine from rats on the basic diet contained an inhibitor of beta-glucorinidase activity in a quantity greater than that from sucrose-fed animals. This is one of the first demonstrations of a biological difference between sucrose and starch fed rats [emphasis added] [32]. PPT PowerPoint slide PowerPoint slide PNG larger image larger image TIFF original image Download: Fig 1. Experimental design for Project 259 and results reported to ISRF. (A) Project 259 was conducted using “germ-free” rats that were raised in isolators to limit their exposure to bacteria. The main study found rats fed a high-sugar diet showed a highly significant sharp decrease in triglycerides in the blood, compared to controls. (B) Project 259’s lead investigator, W.F.R. Pover, told ISRF that if the same rats showed an elevated triglyceride level after they were exposed to bacteria and fed the same high-sugar diet, “the role of bacteria in determining triglyceride levels will be proven conclusively [in rats]” [33]. ISRF terminated funding for the experiments before they could be completed. An initial preliminary study conducted before the main experiment found that rats fed a high-sugar diet had less of a beta-glucuronidase inhibitor in their urine than rats fed a basic PRM diet high in starch. Beta-glucuronidase is an enzyme, and high levels in the urine were known to be associated with bladder cancer in the 1960s. Image of rat vector icon credit: Rvector/Shutterstock.com. ISRF, International Sugar Research Foundation. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2003460.g001 The ISRF report did not include data from Project 259 and did not elaborate further on the experimental design of the studies or the significance of the finding that starch inhibited urinary beta-glucuronidase compared to sucrose. Contemporaneous scientific publications, however, provide the context: elevated urinary beta-glucuronidase had been found to be positively associated with bladder cancer [36,37]. There was also some evidence that beta-glucuronidase activity was associated with atherosclerosis [38]. This incidental finding of Project 259 demonstrated to SRF that sucrose versus starch consumption caused different metabolic effects and suggested that sucrose, by stimulating urinary beta-glucuronidase, may have a role in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. Project 259 links the microbiome to sucrose-induced hypertriglyceridemia In August 1970, Pover reported to ISRF that the main germ-free experiment had achieved promising results (Fig 1): There has been a sharp decrease in serum triglyceride of germfree rats fed a high sugar diet; there is no overlap with the serum triglyceride figures from rats fed the basic P.R.M. diet (a pelleted diet containing cereal meals, soybean meals, whitefish meal, and dried yeast, fortified with a balanced vitamin supplement and trace element mixture [39]) so this result is highly significant. We have yet to feed the starch diet. Both serum cholesterol and serum cholesterol ester values for germfree rats on sugar diet seem elevated; this result is not as clearcut as the triglyceride result and must await statistical evaluation before we can be sure. The role of bacteria in determining serum triglyceride levels will be proven conclusively if we can demonstrate that these same rats, when conven[t]ionalised, show elevated serum T.G.s [triglycerides] when fed a sugar diet. This will take about 18 weeks [33]. ISRF had previously authorized an extension of Project 259’s funding to September 1970, which was 3 months short of the time Pover needed to conclude the experiment [33]. The language in Pover’s report suggests he was confident that Project 259, taken to completion, would confirm the causal role of gut microbiota in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on serum triglycerides in rats. ISRF terminates Project 259 funding On September 10, 1970, as part of a strategic assessment of industry research conducted during the transition from SRF to ISRF, Hickson reported to industry executives on the contribution of SRF’s research projects to “elicit useful and significant information” to the sugar industry [33]. Hickson described the value of Project 259 as “nil” [33]. After supporting the project for 27 months, ISRF did not approve the additional 12 weeks of funding needed to complete the study. Knowing that additional funding was not forthcoming from ISRF, according to ISRF’s 1969–1970 Annual Report of Research, “Dr Pover ha[d] expressed hopes [to ISRF] of obtaining continuing support from other sources” [33]. No published papers were listed for Project 259 in the ISRF publication, Sugar Research 1943–1972 [30]. We could not identify any published results. A March 1974 ISRF report includes its internal interpretation of Project 259’s results: Observations showed significant increase in serum triglyceride level with rats having conventional [microbiota] on sucrose diets, whereas a decreasing effect was noted with germ-free rats, suggesting the triglycerides were formed from fatty acids produced in the small intestine by the fermentation of sucrose [30]. ISRF’s summary of Project 259 confirms that the sugar industry interpreted the results as indicating that intestinal bacteria had a role in sucrose-induced hypertriglyceridemia in rats.	– Just as the tobacco industry aimed to quash evidence of health risks linked to smoking, a new paper claims the Sugar Research Foundation decades ago suppressed research on the sugar's negative effects. The assertion comes via University of California at San Francisco researchers who reviewed internal sugar industry documents, per a release. NPR explains what they say they found: In 1968, the SRF funded a researcher's study that looked at the impact a high-sugar (versus starch) diet had on lab rats. The initial findings pointed to an increase in their triglyceride (that's a fat in your blood) levels and noted elevated levels of an enzyme linked to bladder cancer in their urine. The researcher shared initial findings, and SRF opted not to fund the previously authorized three-month extension needed to finish the research. "Had this information been made public, there would have been a lot more research scrutiny of sugar," says paper author Cristin Kearns. She suspects more potential manipulation as "ISRF sponsored more than 300 research projects between 1943 and 1972, and its successor organizations continue to fund research," she tells the Guardian. But one successor, the Sugar Association, argues the research published in PLOS Biology is only a "collection of speculations and assumptions." It says the 1968 study was ended because it was delayed, over budget, and occurred during "organizational restructuring" in which the SRF became the International Sugar Research Foundation. "There were plans to continue the study with funding from the British Nutrition Foundation, but, for reasons unbeknown to us, this did not occur."
We use investigative research and strategic organizing to counter racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, nativism, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry. More \| Get our app \|\|\|\|\| The Tea Party movement has extensive links to white supremacist groups, a report published by the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights today has alleged. The report lists incidents, individuals and websites it claims demonstrate the links, and also expresses concern that Tea Party meetings are used as recruiting grounds for racist groups. The movement has repeatedly denied it is racist. In the foreword to the report, Benjamin Todd Jealous, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), said: "We know the majority of Tea Party supporters are sincere, principled people of good will." But he added that the report "exposes the links between certain Tea Party factions and acknowledged racist hate groups in the United States. These links should give all patriotic Americans pause". He called on the leadership and members of the Tea Party movement to take more steps "to distance themselves from those Tea Party leaders who espouse racist ideas, advocate violence or are formally affiliated with white supremacist organisations." The NAACP and other organisations such as La Raza, which represents Latinos in the US, were present for the report's launch. The document comes after the NAACP national convention, in July, passed a resolution condemning what it said were outspoken racist elements within the Tea Party. One of the concerns in the report is the portrayal of Barack Obama as non-American. "Consider, for example, the incessant depiction of President Obama as a non-American," it says. "The permutations go on from there: Islamic terrorist, socialist, African witch doctor, lying African etc. If he is not properly American, then he becomes the 'other' that is not 'us.'" Prominent Tea Party organisers said the report was a politically-motivated distortion of the truth. Sal Russo, a Sacramento-based Republican political consultant who created the Tea Party Express, described the report "patently ridiculous". He said the Tea Party had brought millions of people into the political process because of their worries about what was happening economically to the US. "The claim of racism is so stupid it defies response. The movement has nothing to do with race whatsoever," he added. Russo was travelling on the Tea Party Express bus in Nevada, where Harry Reid, the top Democrat in the Senate, is fighting for his political life against the Tea Party-backed Sharron Angle. "We are not opposing Harry Reid because he's black, but because he's wrong," Russo said. On the specific accusation in the report that posts and comments on Tea Party Express partner websites were racist, he added: "What websites? People claim affiliations that don't really exist." The report also cites racist comments about Obama's family on the Free Republic website. A photograph of Michelle Obama had the caption: "To entertain her daughter, Michelle Obama loves to make monkey sounds." Gary Dunn, a contributor to the Free Republic website, said it had a policy of always removing racist comments as quickly as possible. It uses up to eight moderators to filter offensive posts, and repeat offenders were had their access withdrawn, he said.	– Tea Party gatherings are being used by white supremacist and other hate groups to recruit members and spread their ideas, according to a new study by the NAACP. The "links between certain Tea Party factions and acknowledged racist hate groups in the US should give all patriotic Americans pause," warns the reports by the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights. The head of the NAACP in a forward to the report called on the party's leadership to "distance themselves" from those within the party who "espouse racist ideas, advocate violence or are formally affiliated with white supremacist" organizations. "The danger is not that the majority of Tea Party members share their views, but that left unchecked, these extremists might indirectly influence the direction of the Tea Party and therefore the direction of our country," writes Ben Jealous. Tea Party representatives blasted the findings. "The claim of racism is so stupid it defies response," said Sal Russo, a Sacramento-based Republican political consultant who created the Tea Party Express. "The movement has nothing to do with race whatsoever." Gary Dunn, a contributor to the party's Free Republic website, said moderators quickly remove any posted racist comments, reports the Guardian.
When Steve Jobs first pitched the idea for Apple's new circular headquarters to the Cupertino City Council in 2011, he said: "We've seen these office parks with lots of buildings, and they get pretty boring pretty fast, so we'd like to do something better than that." He then unveiled the concept for the singular building, which can hold 12,000 people. "It's a little bit like a spaceship landed," Jobs added. Related: iPhone 8 video gives best look yet at next Apple phone Wired on Tuesday offered an inside look at Apple's campus, detailing the history of the building's conception, as well as company's hope that its innovative design "will inspire its workforce to match that effort in the products they create." Even those working in Apple's café will feed off the building's revolutionary beauty. In fact, they already have, in the form of a pizza box that café "maestro" Francesco Longoni designed (and that Apple patented) in 2010. Like the new campus, the slim pizza box is circular. Featuring eight ventilation holes in its lid, the box was created so employees can shuttle pizza from the café to their desks without it getting soggy. The Verge on Tuesday dug up the actual patent, which includes sketches of the box. Apple Apple As outlined in the text of the patent, the box offers a "nested configuration" that "allows for multiple containers to be stored in a nested stack, thereby minimizing storage space." It also details the "concentric ridges" that provide structural support, the box's "locking mechanism" and how much more environmentally friendly the box is than traditional models. The eight holes are described as a "plurality of apertures that allow for the outflow of air from within the container." See all of the best photos of the week in these slideshows Apple's pizza box does seem like it would save more space and be better for the environment than the classic collapsible square design, but would it offer enough room for little cups of red pepper or parmesan? What about those three-pronged plastic things? Until these and other questions are answered, we're going to have a hard time endorsing U.S. patent number 20120024859 A1 as the future of pizza conveyance. Read the full patent here. \|\|\|\|\| Apple’s brand-new campus is starting to open up to employees, and Wired got to step inside for an early look at the incredibly elaborate building. The article highlights a bunch of thoughtful and often excessive architectural touches — from making sure rain doesn’t streak on the glass to using water cooling so that the air conditioning rarely kicks on because Steve Jobs hated fans — but perhaps the true standout detail from the piece is that Apple invented its own pizza box for its cafeteria, because it obviously couldn’t settle for what was already out there. The container is more of a pizza circle than a pizza box, and it appears to be sized for personal pies. Wired says it’s meant for letting employees take pizza from the cafeteria back to their desks. Apple’s big innovation here is placing a series of holes in the lid of the container so that air can escape, helping avoid sogginess in the crust. It’s a thoughtful addition, although I’ve eaten a lot of pizza in my life and have to say the boxed-in sogginess issue is not that pervasive. Apple applied for a patent on this pizza box design seven years ago, and it seems to have been using it at existing campuses, too. The patent lists Francesco Longoni, the head of Apple’s food services team, as one of its inventors. The Guardian dug up this tweet showing one of the pizza boxes signed by Apple employees after Jobs’ death: @mantia @panzer the Caffè Macs pizza box is nice and when Steve Jobs died was signed by many Apple Food's employees pic.twitter.com/wG5A63C3xc — setteB.IT (@setteBIT) December 19, 2013 This isn’t the first storage and transportation mechanism we’ve seen Apple patent either. It was recently awarded a patent on the design of a paper bag. No word yet on what kind of toppings the Apple cafeteria offers. Update May 16th, 10:30AM ET: Apple has been using this design at its existing campuses, so it’s not new to the Apple Park location, as originally stated. \|\|\|\|\| Apple might have revolutionized the way people communicate with its now-ubiquitous iPhone, but it’s also been quietly tinkering away on something entirely outside the realm of cutting-edge technology: Pizza delivery. The Silicon Valley behemoth this week gave Wired magazine a sneak peek into its sleek new spaceship campus, Apple Park, complete with four-story glass doorways—a “retrograde cocoon” according to a Los Angeles Times architectural review of the hulking, ring-shaped building. Of course, there is no new building without an impressive new employee cafeteria where the company uses a pizza box that it patented itself. The most interesting part of Apple's new $5 billion campus is a pizza box https://t.co/mUnDQoyKw9 pic.twitter.com/ERr8KwHASR — Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) May 16, 2017 Like all things Apple, there are no sharp corners on this box. It is, predictably, round. The interesting thing about it is the series of holes that have been drilled into the lid of the box, allowing steamy air to escape and give the eater ease of mind that their pizza crust will not be soggy, a First World Problem of epic proportions. Apple’s pizza box patent. (USPTO) The company filed for the patent more than seven years ago. Interestingly, it marks one of very few developments in the evolution of pizza transportation since the 1800s. Bakers in Naples, Italy began experimenting with ways to transport pizza by sticking them into metal containers dubbed stufas. For obvious reasons—weight being one of them—that method didn’t bode well for deliverers, so in the 1940s, bakers began sliding pies into paper bags. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the corrugated box came about, as documented by The Atlantic. The box marked a milestone—and since then it’s been improved in little ways, such as the placement of a plastic tripod in the middle of the box to keep the lid from sagging onto the hot cheese. Other adjustments have developed over time, such as placeholders for dips and more recyclable boxes, but the pizza box has been fixed as a square box. Until now. Only time will tell if Apple is able to herald a circular revolution. \|\|\|\|\| TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The described embodiments relate generally to a container and more particularly to a portable and nestable container that is environmentally friendly. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Containers are used widely throughout many applications including the storage and transport of items. Containers are constructed in a wide array of sizes and shapes to contain a variety of items. Containers are constructed from various materials including plastics that provide the necessary support to contain an item, while still being economically feasible. However, as environmental concerns have increased over the years, the demand for a container that is constructed from an environmentally friendly material has risen. Furthermore, due to such environmental concerns, and in order to reduce the amount of consumption of materials, what is needed is a container that is adaptable for use in a wide variety of applications. [0003] Therefore, what is needed is a container that is structurally stable enough for containing an item in a variety of applications and is also environmentally friendly. SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS [0004] A molded fiber container suitable for containing a food item includes a base having a plurality of ridges integrated with an interior surface of the base. When the food item is placed on at least some of the plurality of ridges, a gap is formed between the food item and the interior surface of the base, the gap assisting in thermally isolating the food item and allowing moisture expelled from the food item to be transported away from the food item. The container also includes a lid having a plurality of openings arranged in accordance with at least some of the plurality of ridges. The lid also including a moisture channeling feature integrally formed in the lid, the moisture channeling feature cooperating with at least some of the plurality of openings and the gap to provide a path by which at least some of the moisture expelled from the food item is transported out of the container and into an external environment. [0005] A container includes at least a base portion. The base portion includes a a bottom surface that includes concentric ridges that provide structural support for the container and elevates a food item from the bottom surface forming a gap. The base portion also includes a sidewall integrally formed with the bottom surface, the sidewall including an integrated sidewall feature arranged to provide structural support for the container. The container includes a lid portion. The lid portion including a top surface that includes first integrated top feature co-operating with the integrated bottom feature and the integrated support feature to provide structural support for the container. The lid further includes a second integrated top feature that includes apertures that allow an outflow of air from within the container to the external environment. A hinge assembly integrally formed with a first section of the sidewall for pivotally connecting the base portion to the lid portion includes a first hinge portion integrally formed with the base portion, a second hinge portion integrally formed with the lid portion, and a flexure between first and second hinge portion that allows pivoting of the second hinge portion about the first hinge portion. A locking mechanism that includes a first portion integrally formed with a second section of the sidewall different from the first section, and a second portion integrally formed with a section of the lid portion. The first and second portions of the locking mechanism are co-operatively shaped so that they interlock wherein in a locking configuration, the locking mechanism secures the lid and the base portion. [0006] A method of forming a molded fiber container suitable for containing a food item can be performed by providing a fiber slurry, providing a mold having a shape in the form of the container, conformally applying the fiber slurry to the mold, wherein the conformally applied fiber slurry takes on essentially the shape of the container, curing the fiber slurry, and obtaining the molded fiber container by separating the mold and the cured fiber slurry. In the described embodiment, the molded fiber container includes a base portion, the base portion a bottom surface, the bottom surface including concentric ridges, the concentric ridges providing structural support and elevating an item placed on at least some of the ridges a sidewall integrally formed with the bottom surface, the sidewall including an integrated sidewall feature, the integrated sidewall feature arranged to provide structural support for the container; a lid a plurality of openings arranged in accordance with at least some of the plurality of ridges, and a moisture channeling feature integrally formed in the lid, the moisture channeling feature cooperating with at least some of the plurality of openings and the gap to provide a path by which at least some of the moisture expelled from the food item is transported out of the container and into an external environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] The invention and the advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [0008] FIG. 1 shows representative pizza container in accordance with a described embodiment. [0009] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the container in a first open configuration. [0010] FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the container in a closed configuration showing the airflow that is created in expelling the moisture from the container. [0011] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the bottom of the container. [0012] FIG. 5 shows a top view of the lid portion of the container. [0013] FIG. 6 shows a flipped view of the container. [0014] FIG. 7 shows a profile view of the container. [0015] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of two containers in a nested configuration. [0016] FIGS. 9 a-9 c shows a close up step by step view of the locking mechanism and the associated locking method [0017] FIG. 10 shows a close up perspective view of hinge assembly integrally formed between lid portion and bottom portion. [0018] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the container including indicia. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF REPRESENTATIVE EMBODIMENTS [0019] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the concepts underlying the described embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the underlying concepts. [0020] The embodiments herein describe a cost effective, environmentally friendly container. The container can have an aesthetically pleasing appearance and can also be used to store and transport an item. The shape and size of the container can be widely varied to contain any type of item. For example, the container can be used to contain computer hardware components, office supplies or food items of varying shapes and sizes. The container can also be used to display an item. The container can also be used to contain an item during any preparation or process steps associated with such item. Alternatively, the container can be used to contain and subsequently protect an item incorporated with other items in a bundled shipping configuration. The container can include indicia to convey a message or further add to the aesthetic appeal of the container. [0021] The container can be formed of many types of material. The container can be formed of environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo, Begasse, rice hull, PLA, etc. In a particular embodiment, however, the container can be formed from a single, continuous piece of molded fiber. The use of molded fiber has many advantages. One advantage to using molded fiber is that since molded fiber is derived from recycled paper, molded fiber is considered an environmentally sustainable material. Another advantage to using molded fiber is that molded fiber can be easily formed into any desired shape. Moreover, molded fiber also resists moisture absorption. In this way, any moisture and liquids that are emitted from the item from within the container or present in the area surrounding the container are not generally absorbed into the molded fiber thereby helping the molded fiber container to retain its structural integrity. [0022] The molded fiber container can be formed through any suitable technique including but not limited to the transfer molding process. In the transfer molding process, a fine mesh mold is positioned within a vacuum chamber and fiber slurry containing fiber pulp is then sprayed onto the mold using airflow. The fiber pulp on the mold is then dried ultimately taking on the shape of the mold. In addition to transfer molding the molded fiber container can be created using other molded pulp manufacturing processes. For example, a thick wall molding process can be used to create thicker more rugged containers whereas a thermoformed fiber process can create molded fiber products that are denser and more resistant to the environment. [0023] In a particularly useful embodiment, the molded fiber container can be used to store a food item that can come in any shape and size such as, for example, eggs, fruits, and meat products. Accordingly, the size and shape of the container can be widely varied. For example, the container can have a size that is small enough to contain a single serving of food. On the other hand, the molded fiber container can be fabricated to have a size that is large enough to contain multiple servings of food. Containers of this size are especially useful in situations where food needs to be stored and transported in large quantities, such as at catered events. For the remainder of this discussion, however, and without loss of generality, the container will be discussed in terms of a single item food container. More specifically, the food container can be used to store and transport a hot food product such as pizza. Accordingly, the pizza container can have a size and shape (i.e., circular or rectangular) in accordance with the shape of the pizza contained within. [0024] In order to preserve and enhance the overall culinary experience, the container can be formed to include a number of features that can be integrated into the structure of the container. For example, in order to prevent moisture from being trapped beneath the pizza rendering the pizza soggy, selected portions of an interior surface of a base of the container can be elevated to provide a support platform. In one embodiment, the elevated portion can take the form of concentric rings that elevate the pizza from the bottom surface of the container. Elevating the pizza from the bottom surface ensures that any steam that is emitted from the bottom of the pizza can flow away from the bottom of the pizza. Allowing such steam to flow away from the bottom of the pizza prevents moisture from becoming trapped between the pizza and the bottom surface of the container and subsequently reabsorbed by the pizza causing it to get soggy. The container can also include openings in the lid that allow steam to escape from the pizza. Allowing such steam to escape from within the container further ensuring that the pizza does not become soggy through the re-absorption of moisture. [0025] These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 1-11 . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. [0026] FIG. 1 shows representative container 10 in a first open configuration in accordance with a described embodiment. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , container 10 can be used to enclose and support a hot food item. The hot food item can take the form of a pizza. In those cases, however, where container 10 is formed of heat resistant material, the pizza can be assembled in a preparation area, such as kitchen, placed in container 10, and subsequently placed in a cooker, such as a oven. In this way, the pizza can be assembled, cooked, and as described below, presented for consumption without removing the pizza from container 10. [0027] Container 10 can include base portion 12 having bottom surface 14. Bottom surface 14 can include bottom feature 16 integrated with base portion 12. In the described embodiment, bottom feature 16 can be formed of concentric ridges 18 each extending above bottom surface 14. Ridges 18 can provide structural support for container 10 by distributing an applied load helping to prevent excessive bending and flexing of container 10. In this way, even though fully loaded and in the first open configuration, pizza container 10 can be picked up and transported without undue risk of deforming. Moreover, when a pizza is placed upon ridges 18, an air gap between bottom surface 14 and the pizza can be formed allowing excess moisture to escape from the pizza. The air gap can also act as a thermal barrier preventing excess heat transfer away from the pizza. In this way, while enclosed within pizza container 10, the pizza can remain fresh and crisp and hot for an extended period of time. Base portion 12 can also include sidewalls 20 integrally formed with bottom surface 18. Sidewalls 20 can include integrated sidewall feature 22. Integrated sidewall feature 22 can be recessed into sidewalls 20 having a shape that can help prevent flexing of base portion 12. [0028] Container 10 can also include lid portion 24 having a size and shape in accordance with base portion 12. In this way, in a closed configuration, lid portion 24 and base portion 12 can come together to form an enclosed space well suited for accommodating the pizza. Lid portion 24 can include top surface 26 onto which can be formed first top feature 28 and second top feature 30. In one embodiment, first top feature 28 can be an elevated region integrally formed with lid portion 24 in such a way as to provide structural support for lid portion 24. Furthermore, in a closed configuration, integrated first top feature 28 can align and cooperate with sidewalls 20 and integrated side wall features 22 to provide additional structural support for pizza container 10. In addition to first top feature 28, second top feature 30 can have a raised shape suitable for providing structural support for lid portion 24. In addition to providing structural support for container 10, second top feature 30 can aid in the transport of excess moisture from the pizza through vents 32. In one embodiment, for example, second top feature 30 can form channel 34 that can cooperate with central platform 36 to create a “chimney effect” that can help to draw excess moisture from the pizza that can be channeled to vents 32 for transport to the external environment. In this way, ridges 18, second top feature 30 and vents 32 can work together to form a mechanism by which a proper moisture level within container 10 can be maintained thereby assuring that the pizza does not absorb excess moisture and become soggy. [0029] Base portion 12 and lid portion 24 can be pivotally connected to one another by way of hinge assembly 38. Hinge assembly 38 can be integrally formed with both lid portion 24 and base portion 12. Hinge assembly 38 can include first hinge portion 40 as part of base portion 12 and second hinge portion 42 as part of lid portion 24. Flexure 44 can pivotally connect first hinge portion 40 and second hinge portion 42. First hinge portion 40 and second hinge portion 42 can be formed of stiff molded fiber whereas flexure 44 can be formed of bendable molded fiber. In this way, flexure 44 can facilitate a folding over of first hinge portion 40 and second hinge portion 44 when container 10 transitions to the closed configuration. Alternatively, when transitioning to an open configuration, flexure 44 can facilitate the unfolding of first hinge portion 40 and second hinge portion 42. [0030] Container 10 can also include locking mechanism 46. Locking mechanism 46 can include first portion 48 integrally formed with base portion 12 and second portion 50 integrally formed with lid portion 24. Locking mechanism 46 can be used to secure base portion 12 and lid portion 24 when container 10 is placed in the closed configuration. By securing it is meant that in the locked configuration, locking mechanism 46 can exert a securing force sufficiently strong to prevent base portion 12 and lid portion 24 from separating from each other when, for example, container 10 is being transported. For example, when locking mechanism 46 is engaged, lid portion 24 remains securely attached to base portion 12. However, when a user desires to open pizza container 10 by disengaging locking mechanism 46, lip 52 on second portion 50 can be easily accessed by the user inserting a finger, or other object, within recess portion 54 of first portion 48. Recess portion 54 can be sized and positioned relative to lip 52 to provide easy access to lip 52. In this way, a simple lifting action on lip 52 can easily overcome the securing force provided by locking mechanism 46 to separate lid portion 24 and base portion 12. By overcoming the securing force provided by locking mechanism 46, the user can easily cause container 10 to transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration. It should also be noted that container 10 can be used to dispose of any eating utensils, napkins, cups, and so forth in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, all used eating utensils and other paraphernalia can be placed inside of container 10 when the meal is finished, closed, sealed and disposed of as a single unit making disposal easy and efficient. [0031] In the first open configuration, lid portion 24 and base portion 12 are positioned approximately 180° relative to each other such that any item (such as the pizza) on bottom surface 14 is easily viewed and accessible. However, in some situations, it may not be convenient to place container 10 in the first open configuration due to the large footprint presented by the relative positioning of base portion 12 and lid portion 24. For example, if available space is limited due to, for example, a small dining table or area, it may not be convenient or even possible to position base portion 12 and lid portion 24 in the first open configuration. Accordingly, one of the advantages provided by container 10 is the ability of container 10 to be placed in a second open configuration, also referred to in some embodiments as a food server configuration. As shown in FIG. 2 , in the second open configuration, container 10 exhibits a much smaller footprint than that presented by the first open configuration since instead of being rotated about 180° with respect to each other as in the first open configuration, lid portion 24 and base portion 12 are rotated about each other approximately 360°. In this way, exterior surface 202 of lid portion 24 and exterior surface 204 of base portion 12 can be placed in at least partial direct contact with each other in such a way as to permit lid portion 24 to act as a support surface along the lines of a pedestal and provide full support for base portion 12. In this way, container 10 can provide an cost effective and environmentally friendly mechanism for storing, transporting, and even presenting and serving the food item. Moreover, the various freshness keeping features of container 10 can help to keep the food item fresh and hot and crispy (in the case of at least a pizza) until the time to open lid portion 24 and presenting the food item for consumption. Moreover, lid portion 24 as the pedestal also has the added advantage of eliminating the potential for any heat caused damage of any surfaces upon which container 10 is placed. [0032] FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of container 10 and the resulting airflow that can create an integrated container moisture expelling process. Specifically, ridges 18 can elevate contained pizza 82 away from bottom surface 14 of base portion 12 of container 10. Elevating pizza 82 away from bottom surface 14 can create gaps 88 between pizza 82 and bottom surface 14. Gaps 88 can allow for the creation of bottom airflow 84 between the bottom of pizza 82 and bottom surface 14, thereby carrying hot air that is emitted from the bottom of pizza 82. Bottom airflow 84 can flow out from underneath pizza 82 forming convective airflow 86 that transports the hot air from bottom airflow 84 and can flow upward following the contours of the sides of container 10. Side airflow 86 continues along the contours of the sides of the container and becomes top surface airflow 90 along top surface 26 of lid portion 24. [0033] Top feature 30 integrated within lid portion 24 increases the surface area along exterior surface of lid portion 24, thereby serving to create a lower outside pressure along the exterior surface. Top surface airflow 90 can have a higher pressure than the outside pressure along the exterior surface of lid portion 24, thereby creating a chimney effect. Such chimney effect causes top surface airflow 90 to move along top surface 26, whereby airflow can subsequently exit container 10 through vents 32. Vents 32 can be formed within top surface 26 and extend through lid portion 24. Vents 32 can be positioned in an annular pattern concentric with the center of lid portion 24, helping to ensure that a maximum amount of contained hot air, including air from bottom airflow 84, can exit container 10. In turn, such moisture air expelling process ensures that the hot air that is generated from pizza 82 can be discharged from within container 10. Expelling the hot air generated by pizza 82, prevents pizza 82 from reabsorbing the moisture within such hot air and subsequently becoming soggy. [0034] FIG. 4 shows an expanded perspective view of the exterior of base portion 12 in accordance with a described embodiment. Base portion 12 can include exterior surface 204. Exterior surface 204 can include concentric recesses 302 that correspond to concentric ridges 18 which extend out from the bottom surface 14 of base portion 12. Exterior surface 204 can also include integrated sidewall feature protrusions 304 that correspond to integrated sidewall features 22 that are recessed in sidewalls 20. Sidewall feature protrusions 304 and concentric recesses 302 are formed along exterior surface 204 of base portion 12 through the fiber molding process. For example, concentric ridges 18 are formed through equivalently shaped ridges within the mold pattern, such that the deposited fiber slurry of a desired thickness level forms in the shape of such ridges. When the resulting molded fiber container is lifted away from the mold, concentric recesses 302 are left within exterior surface 204, where the fiber slurry formed on top of the ridges in the mold pattern. Concentric recesses 302 and sidewall feature protrusions 304 can further increase the structural stability of the container when it is used to contain and transport an item. Specifically, concentric recesses 302 and sidewall feature protrusions 304 can limit the torsional flexing of the base portion 12. [0035] FIG. 5 shows an enhanced perspective view of the exterior of lid portion 24 of the container in a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, lid portion 24 can be displaced so that it substantially covers the container volume formed within base portion 12. Vents 32 extend from the contained area through lid portion 24 creating openings within lid portion exterior surface 202. Vents 32 serve to create passageways, through which excess moisture can flow out of the container. Lid exterior surface 202 can also include the corresponding exterior surface profiles 402 of the first and second top features of lid portion 24. Specifically, just as sidewall feature protrusions 304 and concentric recesses 302 can be formed through the fiber molding process in the exterior surface 204 of base portion 12, the first and second top features of lid portion 24, can also create exterior integrated surface profile features 402 of lid portion 24. Such surface profiles 402 are corresponding negative features of the first and second top features of lid portion 24. Exterior integrated surface profile features 402 are not only a product of the molding fabrication process, but also they can serve to further add structural stability to the container by limiting torsional flexing of lid portion 24. [0036] FIG. 6 shows a flipped over view of container 10 showing more clearly exterior surfaces 202 and 204. Exterior bottom surface 204 can include concentric recesses 302 and sidewall feature protrusions 304. Exterior lid surface 202 can include exterior integrated surface profile features 402 and openings created by vents 32. Lid portion 24 can be coupled to base portion 12 through hinge assembly 38. Hinge assembly 38 can include first hinge portion exterior surface 502 and second hinge portion exterior surface 504. Hinge portions 502 and 504 are connected through flexure 44 that facilitates the pivoting of lid portion 24 about base portion 12. Such flexure allows for the folding over of the first hinge portion 40 with the second hinge portion 42, such that when the container is in the second open configuration first hinge portion exterior surface 502 makes substantial direct contact with second hinge portion exterior surface 504. [0037] FIG. 7 shows a profile view of container 10 in the closed configuration highlighting the close fit tolerance between base portion 12 and lid portion 24. In this way, the unity of design presented by container 10 adds to both form and function. For example, the close fit tolerance of container 10 provides a clean and uniform appearance that enhances the overall aesthetic experience of the user. In this way, a purveyor of pizza, for example, can store, deliver, and present a product that appeals not only to the purchaser's pallet but also to the purchaser's taste and aesthetic appreciation. The unity of design presented by container 10 also can serve to ensure that the item remains completely contained within container 10 throughout storage, delivery and any other previously mentioned functioning embodiments of container 10. The close fit tolerance between base portion 12 and lid portion 24 can be further enhanced by the use of bottom portion lip 602 and lid portion lip 604 that extend out along the peripheral edges of corresponding base and lid portions 12 and 24. Lips 602 and 604 can come into substantial direct contact with each when container 10 is in a closed configuration. Such contact further ensuring that the item remains contained within container 10 while in a closed configuration. [0038] FIG. 8 shows a profile view of two containers 702 and 704 in a nested stack configuration. The nested stack configuration is advantageous in that it allows for the convenient storage of multiple containers 10 in a small space. Such configuration is particularly useful in pizza restaurants, where space is limited, and empty boxes must still be easily accessible. The nested stack configuration can be realized when lid portion 24 and base portion 12 are substantially 180° while in the previously mentioned first open configuration. The sidewalls 20 of the base portion 12 can be tapered so that sidewalls 20 encompass a greater area at the top than at the bottom. The tapering of sidewalls 20 ensures that base portion 12 can receive the corresponding base portion 12 of second container 704. In such nested configuration, the exterior bottom surface of the second container can make substantial contact with bottom surface 14 and sidewalls 20 of base portion 12 of first container 702. Furthermore, locking mechanism 46 and lid portion 24 can be nestable such that the lid portion 24 and locking mechanism 46 of second container 704 fits within the lid portion 24 and the locking mechanism 46 of first container 702. Specifically, lid locking mechanism first portion 48 of second container 704 can fit within lid locking mechanism first portion 48 of first container 702 while lid locking mechanism second portion 50 of second container 704 can fit within lid locking mechanism second portion 50 of first container 702. [0039] FIGS. 9 a-9 c shows a close up step by step view of the locking mechanism 46 and the associated locking method. Locking mechanism 46 can be a press fit lock with first portion 48 that is integrally formed with base portion 12 and second portion 50 that is integrally formed with lid portion 24. Second portion 50 can include protrusion 802 that extends out from second portion 50. First portion 48 can include cavity 804 that is integrally formed within first portion 50. Cavity 804 can receive protrusion 802 when an external force pushes first portion 48 and second portion 50 together while container 10 is in a closed configuration. In receiving protrusion 802, cavity 804 generates a locking mechanism force, which serves to hold locking mechanism 46 and subsequently lid portion 24 and base portion 12 in closed configuration. Such locking mechanism force resists external forces applied to container 10, so that container 10 remains closed, throughout storage, transportation, and any other functioning of container 10. Locking mechanism 46 can include recessed portion 54 within first portion 48, which allows the user to contact second portion 50 such that the second portion 50 can be separated from the first portion 48. [0040] FIG. 10 shows a close up perspective view of hinge assembly 38 integrally formed between lid portion 24 and base portion 12. Hinge assembly 38 can include first hinge portion 40 and second hinge portion 42. First hinge portion 40 is integrated with base portion 12 while second hinge portion 42 is integrated with lid portion 24. First hinge portion 40 is coupled to second hinge portion 42 through a flexure 44. Flexure 44 facilitates the transitioning between first and second open and closed configurations by allowing for the folding of second hinge portion 42 and associated lid portion 24 over second hinge portion 42. [0041] Container 10 can also include indicia 80 as shown in FIG. 11 . Indicia 80 can be formed through any suitable means, including but not limited to embossing. Indicia 80 can be in any shape to convey any message. For example, as shown, indicia 80 can state “made from recycled material” or “please compost.” Specifically, indicia 80 can be used to convey to the user that the container is made from environmentally friendly material. Indicia 80 can be placed on any suitable surface of container 10, including but not limited to bottom surface 14 of base portion 12 or top surface 26 of lid 12. [0042] FIG. 12 shows a flowchart detailing process 1200 for forming a molded fiber container in accordance with the described embodiments. Process 1200 can be performed by providing a fiber slurry at 1202, providing a mold having a shape in the form of the container at 1204, conformally applying the fiber slurry to the mold at 1206, where the conformally applied fiber slurry takes on essentially the shape of the container, curing the fiber slurry at 1208, and obtaining the molded fiber container by separating the mold and the cured fiber slurry at 1210. In one implementation, the molded fiber container can include at least a base portion, the base portion having a bottom surface that includes concentric ridges that provide structural support and elevate an item placed on at least some of the ridges and a sidewall integrally formed with the bottom surface, the sidewall including an integrated sidewall feature, the integrated sidewall feature arranged to provide structural support for the container. The container also includes a lid that includes a plurality of openings arranged in accordance with at least some of the plurality of ridges, and a moisture channeling feature integrally formed in the lid, the moisture channeling feature cooperating with at least some of the plurality of openings and the gap to provide a path by which at least some of the moisture expelled from the food item is transported out of the container and into an external environment. [0043] In a specific embodiment, the container can be reusable. Specifically, the container can be reused in the containment of an item in any of the previously mentioned applications. The reuse of the container is environmentally friendly as it reduces the amount of materials that are consumed by society through the construction of single use containers. Furthermore, the ability to reuse containers reduces the amount of waste that is generated by single use containers. In a further specific embodiment, the container can be formed of material that allows the container to be washed or cleaned before such subsequent reuse. [0044] The various aspects, embodiments, implementations or features of the described embodiments can be used separately or in any combination. The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.	– Remember that time when Apple tried to patent a paper bag? Well, it's also tackled the humble pizza box. As Quartz puts it, "Like all things Apple, there are no sharp corners on this box," meaning the box is no square. The other main innovation in Apple's take on pizza travel technology is holes in the top of the box, presumably so that steam will escape and not make your pizza soggy. It's actually a patent that Apple applied for seven years ago, with the head of Apple's food service team listed as one inventor, though it's only now making stomachs growl thanks to a Wired article on Apple's new mothership campus that mentioned the box. (Apple actually currently offers the box, which is personal pie-sized, at its existing campuses, notes the Verge.) Per the patent, the box is preformed, "such that no assembly of the container is required"; features a "nested configuration" that "allows for multiple containers to be stored in a nested stack, thereby minimizing storage space"; and, per Newsweek, features "concentric ridges" for structural support. And remember those eight holes in the lid? They are known as a "plurality of apertures that allow for the outflow of air from within the container." If the design doesn't grab you, perhaps the box's greenness will: It "can be fabricated from various types of re-used material along the lines of molded fiber." Or, you know, it's a round box with holes in which you can carry your pizza to your desk. (Apple's new headquarters is insanely detail oriented.)
Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| (CNN) Rescuers have saved an Indian yachtsman hit by a storm that left him badly injured with his boat drifting at sea for more than two days in rough conditions. Abhilash Tomy, a 39-year-old Indian naval commander, was competing in the 2018 Golden Globe Race -- a nonstop, 30,000-mile solo yachting competition that bars the use of modern technology -- when his boat hit a storm on Friday more than 3,000 kilometers (nearly 2,000 miles) off the coast of Australia. Multinational rescue efforts were immediately launched to save him, but Tomy's 36-foot boat, Thuriya, one of several hit by 80 mph winds and 46-foot seas midway across the South Indian Ocean, was "at the extreme limit of immediate rescue range," according to race organizers. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Canberra, Australia, was in charge of the rescue operation, with Australian, French and Indian naval vessels and other yachts from the competition braving rough conditions to reach him. "Commander Tomy has been rescued. He is conscious. He is fine," Indian Navy spokesperson Capt. D K Sharma told CNN. "He was rescued by the French fisheries vessel Osiris. They used a generic craft -- a rubberized craft -- and brought him out on a stretcher." Golden Globe Race posted on Facebook: "They have Tomy Onboard and he is conscious and talking...FANTASTIC NEWS..WELL DONE ALL INVOLVED INCREDIBLE NEWS!!!!" The French fisheries patrol vessel Osiris reached Tomy's yacht at 5:30 GMT on Monday and Australian and Indian long-range P8 Orion reconnaissance aircraft were circling overhead, the post added. Rescuer also evacuated Race organizers said the crew of the Isiris would also evacuate Irishman Gregor McGuckin, who was caught in the same storm but managed to join the rescue operation. "He is NOT in distress but feels it is the responsible option to take now that all Rescue assets are close at hand," they said in a statement. McGuckin had set up a makeshift rig on his boat and was trying to reach Tomy using a mixture of wind and engine power. Race officials said sea and weather conditions have improved and that the Osiris would make for port once both yachtsmen have been rescued. "Once the two solo yachtsmen are safely aboard the Osiris the French fisheries patrol ship will proceed to Amsterdam Island where the rescued sailors will be given a full medical examination," the statement said. Amsterdam Island is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, roughly equidistant between Africa, Antarctica and Australia. "The hospital on Amsterdam Island is well equipped with X-ray and ultrasound equipment." it added. In good condition On Tuesday, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) response center manager Al Lloyd said that Tomy was able to assist himself by transferring off the vessel to the fishery patrol vessel and both sailors are reported to be in good condition. "A doctor will take a full medical for both sailors when it docks at Amsterdam Island later this week." An Australian naval ship, HMS Ballarat, is en route to the island and is scheduled to arrive on Friday where it is planned to bring both sailors on board and return to Australia. "Tomy was able to communicate with us effectively, however, he was bedridden for most of the time he was on board the vessel and unable to move on the upper decks. At this stage we would suggest his condition is stable. "(Gregor McGuckin) actually got within a couple of nautical miles of Tomy's position. His vessel of course had lost both of its sails ... it was an excellent piece of seamanship for him to proceed to Tomy and provide assistance." He arrived at the stricken boat's position at the same time as the Osiris and was rescued a few hours later. Both vessels have been abandoned "as the priority of course was to take both sailors back to Amsterdam (Island) for medical assessment." India Today journalist Sandeep Unnithan posted this video of the moment Tomy's craft was spotted from the P8 aircraft. Race officials had sent messages to Tomy informing him of the latest plans to rescue him, but were concerned when he stopped replying to their messages, suggesting he was possibly "now too weak to transmit," they had said. In a tweet Monday evening, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind thanked the French and Australian rescue teams for their role in the mission and wished Tomy "a speedy recovery." Also writing on Twitter Monday, Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Tomy would be taken first to nearby Amsterdam Island, before being transported on Indian naval vessel INS Satpura to Mauritius for medical attention. Abhilash Tomy departs Les Sables d'Olonne Harbour on July 1, 2018. Calls for help Thuriya's mast was broken about 1,900 miles (3,100 kilometers) southwest of Perth, from where Tomy sent a text message Friday reading: "ROLLED. DISMASTED. SEVERE BACK INJURY. CANNOT GET UP." He then did not communicate for nearly 15 hours. He later sent messages confirming he'd activated his EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon), but was unable to walk and "might need a stretcher." The race said that subsequent messages indicated that Tomy was safe but lying immobilized in his bunk, with his one message reading: "CAN MOVE TOES. FEEL NUMB. CAN'T EAT OR DRINK. TOUGH 2 REACH GRAB BAG." His latest message said: "LUGGED CANS OF ICE TEA. HAVING THAT. VOMITING CONTINUINGLY. CHEST BURNING Position: 39′ 33.512 S 077′ 41.608 E". Race organizers had posted a photo to Facebook early Sunday of the Thuriya taken from an Indian Navy aircraft and showing the vessel's sails in the water. Organizers said that Tomy was able to tell them via text message that he heard the airplane fly by. An executive jet had also been dispatched from Perth, Australia to assess damage to Tomy's boat. Indian authorities dispatched a military plane from Mauritius and diverted a stealth frigate and tanker from exercises off South Africa. Australian authorities sent an Anzac-class frigate, but it was expected to take four to five days to reach Tomy. Estonian yachtsman Uku Randmaa had also tried to reach Tomy. HMAS Ballarat is on its way assist an injured solo yachtsman, approximately 1800 nautical miles off the WA coast. The sailor, an officer in the Indian Navy is understood to have suffered a serious back injury when his ten metre vessel, "Thuriya" was de-masted in extreme weather. pic.twitter.com/e5zgO6F7bj — RoyalAustralianNavy (@Australian_Navy) September 23, 2018 Race organizers had said Sunday that poor weather conditions would delay the arrival of the first ship to Tomy until Tuesday, but the French vessel had later made good progress. The race's website described Tomy as one of India's most prominent sailors and a pilot in the Indian Navy. Tomy has covered 52,000 miles (84,000 km) under sail while in the Indian Navy, including a solo non-stop circumnavigation from Mumbai in 2012-13, it said. He was quoted as saying of the Golden Globe Race: "The emphasis is not on technology and its management, but on seamanship and a direct experience of sea. This spartan philosophy is in keeping with my own view that a lot can be achieved with very little." Origins of the race The 2018 Golden Globe fleet set sail on July 1 from Les Sables-d'Olonne in France. The race is by invitation only and requires prior ocean sailing experience of at least 8,000 miles and solo experience of at least 3,000 miles. Eighteen vessels began this year's race -- marking the 50th anniversary of the original race -- but by September 10 seven of the boats had retired from the competition. In line with the original 1968 race, skippers must navigate using paper charts and the stars. However, the 2018 boats carry some modern technology to keep their skippers safe. The sailors have the ability to send 100-character text reports via satellite twice a day and to use a satellite phone to make a weekly safety check. Each boat also carries a sealed safety box containing a GPS tracker and second satellite phone, but breaking the seal disqualifies a sailor from the race. Race organizers also track the boats via GPS -- though sailors cannot see the data. Tomy's boat is a replica of Robin Knox-Johnston's yacht Suhaili. Knox-Johnston won the inaugural Golden Globe race, becoming the first person to sail solo around the world nonstop. His trip took 312 days and he was the only finisher of the nine skippers who started the race. "Very concerned about @abhilashtomy's injuries and will be glad when assistance can reach him," he said. Correction: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the Indian President's name. \|\|\|\|\| Sailor Rescued At Sea After Dismasting During Round-The-World Race Enlarge this image toggle caption Jean-Francois Monier/AFP/Getty Images Jean-Francois Monier/AFP/Getty Images A solo yachtsman whose sailboat was rolled and dismasted in an Indian Ocean storm during a round-the-world race, has been rescued four days after calling for help. Abhilash Tomy, a 39-year-old commander in the Indian navy, was taken from his smashed boat, Thuriya, approximately 1,900 miles west of Australia by a French fisheries patrol boat. "Tomy was taken out of his yacht on a stretcher. He is conscious, and he is safe," an Indian navy spokesman Captain D.K. Sharma told reporters. Tomy was participating in the Golden Globe non-stop, unassisted, round-the-world race, a revival of a famous 1968 race. Participants shun modern electronics, such as GPS, for navigation and instead use sextants and celestial navigation to find their position at sea. In the original Golden Globe race, several participants were forced to quit, one refused to finish despite being in the lead and another died by suicide after stepping off his boat. Tomy's two-masted ketch is a replica of Suhaili, the boat that ultimately won the race. Of the 18 sailors who entered this year's Golden Globe, Tomy and seven others have dropped out. One other boat was also dismasted in the same storm that damaged Tomy's. The BBC reports that "Tomy was able to communicate using a texting unit, after his satellite phone was broken. He managed to send an initial message saying he has a severe back injury and was immobilised, unable to eat or drink." Since the first report of Thuriya's dismasting on Friday, rescue efforts had been underway by India and other countries. The Indian navy spokesman was quoted by NDTV as saying that Tomy sent a "ping" with his Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, or EPIRB, when aircraft approached his position. \|\|\|\|\| Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Thuriya set sail from France at the start of July on the round-the-world race A seriously injured Indian sailor stranded in the middle of the Indian Ocean has been rescued and is safe, officials say. Solo yachtsman Abhilash Tomy was stranded 3,200km (2,000 miles) off the coast of Western Australia after his boat was badly damaged during a storm on Friday. He was participating in the Golden Globe round-the-world race. Tomy sent a message to race organisers saying he had a severe back injury. "Tomy was taken out of his yacht on a stretcher. He is conscious, and he is safe," Indian Navy spokesperson Captain DK Sharma told reporters. Captain Philip Donde, the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe under sail who has worked closely with Tomy, told the BBC Marathi service about his "sense of relief". "There was a bit of anxiety but I was sure he'd be rescued," he said. "He's quite a focused and determined young man," Mr Donde said. "I was sure that he'd do his best in any situation that he has landed into." Indian yachtswoman Taramati Matiwade also praised Tomy, telling the BBC his courage is "endless". "Unfortunately, humans can't fight nature," she said. Rescue teams from various nations, including India, had raced towards Tomy, but the French fishing vessel Osiris reached him first. A doctor and a stretcher are on board the vessel. Earlier, Captain Sharma told the BBC that the plan was to transfer Tomy to an Australian naval ship which sailed from Perth to the location on Sunday morning. Tomy was able to communicate using a texting unit, after his satellite phone was broken. He managed to send an initial message saying he has a severe back injury and was immobilised, unable to eat or drink. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Abhilash Tomy has already sailed round the world once in 2013 On Sunday, race organisers said he sent another message, "Lugged cans of ice tea, Having that. Vomiting continuously. Chest burning". Rescue mission to reach injured Indian sailor Tomy's boat, the Thuriya, is a replica of Robin Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, winner of the first Golden Globe Race in 1968. Friday's storm, which damaged the vessel, whipped up 70-knot winds and 14-metre (45ft) waves, and also knocked down the yacht of another competitor, Dutchman Mark Slats, twice. Image caption The approximate location of the Thuriya at 02:28 GMT on Saturday Most of the 11 competitors still in the race were further north and avoided the worst of the storm, organisers said. The Golden Globe race involves a single-handed circumnavigation of the globe - a distance of 30,000 miles - without using modern technology, except for satellite communications. Competitors started from France on 1 July; seven boats have so far withdrawn from the race. \|\|\|\|\| DAY 85 – RESCUE UPDATE: Injured solo sailor rescued succesfully by French fisheries patrol vessel Abhilash Tomy ‘concious and talking’ Media update 07:30 UTC 23.9.2018 Les Sables d’Olonne, France Day 4 of the rescue of injured Indian Golden Globe Race solo sailor Abhilash Tomy from his dismasted yacht Thuriya approximately 1,900 miles SW of Perth Western Australia The French fisheries patrol vessel Osiris reached Tomy’s yacht at 05:30 UTC and her crew successfully transferred him to the ship. The Joint Rescue Co-ordingation Centre in Canberra which co-ordingated the rescue reported: “Tomy is concious, talking and onboard the Orisis. Australian and Indian long range P8 Orion reconnaissance aircraft are circling overhead. Thuriya’s position is 39 32.79S and 78 3.29E Weather conditions are favourable: 15-20knots from the South West, 2m swells and good visibility. A radio briefing was held between the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre on Reunion Island, a doctor located on Amsterdam Island, and the master of the Osiris before the French crew boarded Thuriya from Zodiac inflatable boats to administer immediate first-aid and assess his condition. Abhilash Tomy, 39, is a Commander in the Indian Navy and has been confined to his bunk, unable to move since his yacht was rolled through 360° and dismasted in a vicious Southern Ocean storm last Friday. Fellow GGR skipper Gregor Mcguckin whose yacht Hanley Energy Endurance was also dismasted in the same storm last week, is making 2.2 knots towards Thuriya’s position, sailing under jury rig. The 32-year old Irishman is still 25 miles to the West and in radio contact with the reconnaissance aircraft. He is not in distress but has asked for a controlled evacuation from his yacht. Faced with a 1,900 mile sail across the Southern Ocean to Western Australia under a small jury rig and without an engine (his fuel was contaminated when the yacht capsized), this is a responsible decision taken by a professional sailor when all the rescue assets are close by. The alternative would have been to continue sailing singlehanded without the aid of self-steering (also smashed in the capsize) and risk having to call on the Rescue Services again should he be disabled further in another storm. Once the two solo yachtsmen are safely aboard the Osiris the French fisheries patrol ship will proceed to Amsterdam Island where the rescued sailors will be given a full medical examination. The hospital on Amsterdam Island is well equipped with X-ray and ultrasound equipment. Race organisers continue to work closely with The Australian Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre and are extremely grateful for the efforts being made by all involved. For Media interviews with Don McIntyre, GGR Race Chairman, call +33 (0) 251040434 \|\|\|\|\| The Golden Globe Trophy An approach to The Sunday Times lead to their refusal, but they subsequently announced the Golden Globe and that RKJ was an entrant! In all, there were 9 entrants, but because small boats sail slower than big ones, each planned to depart to suit their own schedule, and The Sunday Times was forced to announce that the start time could be between 1st June and 31st October 1968. They also announced that the Golden Globe would be awarded to the first to complete the voyage starting in the British isles and finishing in the same port, and £5,000 would be warded to the person who made the fastest voyage. Fully loaded, (see picture of half the rations on board right), Suhaili sailed from Falmouth on 14th June 1968, the third to depart. Progress was slow initially as RKJ was recovering from an attack of jaundice. By the time she passed the Cape of Good Hope she was in the lead, but had already been knocked down, her coach roof shifted, her water tanks polluted and her radio out of action. \|\|\|\|\| Commander Abhilash Tomy KC is one of the most eminent sailors of India and is a pilot in the Indian Navy. On July 1, he had set sail in the International solo circumnavigation Golden Globe Race (2018) (GGR). The 39-year old’s boat Thuriya was dismasted due to rough weather and sea conditions and he had suffered a severe back injury. Tomy sent distress messages from his vessel on Saturday, following which the Indian navy along with the Austrailian defence force set about in the mission to rescue him. Tomy was traced by the Indian Navy Reconnaissance aircraft and has been rescued by French vessel Osiris on Monday. Read in Malayam Advertising Though originally from Alappuzha, Tomy spent much of his childhood in Naval bases across the country since his father was in the Naval police. Tomy happens to be the first Indian and second Asian to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation around the world on a boat that began on November 1, 2012 and ended on March 31, 2013. Also read: Commander Tomy’s rescue operation LIVE: Injured naval officer rescued by French vessel Osiris Tomy is an awardee of the Kirti Chakra and the Tenzig Norway National Adventure Award. He had also won the MacGregor medal, which is awarded to personnel from the Indian Armed Forces for extraordinary military reconnaissance. The GGR organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, is a laborious race that involves solo circumnavigation of the globe in a yacht with no kind of modern technology. Tomy is the only Indian in the race that includes 11 participants. He was in the third position in the race, having sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days. Tomy’s vessel was stranded in the Southern Indian Ocean, approximately 1900 nautical miles from Perth in Austrailia.	– "He is conscious, and he is safe." With those words, an Indian navy rep revealed the status of sailor Abhilash Tomy, who'd placed an emergency call from his yacht during a bid to make it around the world in the Golden Globe Race. Per NPR, Tomy's vessel became dismasted Friday during a storm in the Indian Ocean; with his satellite phone broken, Tomy sent a message from a texting unit noting his back was seriously hurt and that he was initially immobilized. "Lugged cans of ice tea. Having that. Vomiting continuously. Chest burning," was a subsequent message the 39-year-old Indian navy commander sent Sunday, per the BBC. Race organizers soon became concerned after Tomy stopped replying to their messages, CNN notes. Rescuers from different nations rushed to get to him, with a French fishing vessel finding him first, drifting about 2,000 miles off the coast of Western Australia. The Golden Globe, which kicked off in France on July 1, is a 30,000-mile circumnavigation, with competitors eschewing all modern tech (e.g., GPS), save for satellite communications. Of the 18 sailors who started the race, just 11 are still in it, per the BBC (NPR says 10). Tomy's 36-foot yacht, the Thuriya, is a reproduction of the Suhaili, which won the first Golden Globe 50 years ago with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston at the helm. Knox-Johnston tweeted his own worries for Tomy on Sunday, writing: "Very concerned about @abhilashtomy's injuries and will be glad when assistance can reach him." In a statement, race organizers praised Tomy's decision to drop out of the race as a "responsible" one, noting his engine and self-steering gear had been rendered useless when the yacht capsized and that "the alternative would have been to continue sailing singlehanded" and risk getting caught in another storm.
FILE - In this July 4, 2017 file photo, Interpol President, Meng Hongwei, delivers his opening address at the Interpol World congress in Singapore. A French judicial official says Friday Oct.5, 2018 the... (Associated Press) FILE - In this July 4, 2017 file photo, Interpol President, Meng Hongwei, delivers his opening address at the Interpol World congress in Singapore. A French judicial official says Friday Oct.5, 2018 the president of Interpol has been reported missing after traveling to China. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E,... (Associated Press) PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the disappearance of the president of Interpol, Meng Hongwei (all times local): 2:55 p.m. Interpol says it's aware of reports that President Meng Hongwei has been reported missing while making a trip to his native China. The international law enforcement agency based in Lyon, France did not provide details about Meng's disappearance and said in a statement Friday: "This is a matter for the relevant authorities in both France and China." Meng's wife reported Friday that she had not heard from him since the end of September, when he left Lyon. French authorities have launched an investigation. The president of Interpol heads its executive committee. The police organization said in its statement "the day-to-day running of Interpol" is carried out by its secretary general, Jurgen Stock. ___ 1 p.m. A French judicial official says the president of Interpol has been reported missing after traveling to his native China, The official says Meng Hongwei's wife reported Friday that she had not heard from her 64-year-old husband since the end of September, when he left Lyon, France, where Interpol is based. The official said Meng did arrive in China. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of an ongoing investigation. There was no further word on Meng's schedule in China or what prompted his wife to wait until now to report his absence. Meng was elected president of Interpol in November 2016. His term runs until 2020. He has held a variety of positions within China's security establishment, including as a vice minister of public security — the national police force — since 2004. \|\|\|\|\| PARIS (Reuters) - French police are investigating the disappearance of Interpol chief, Meng Hongwei, who was reported missing after traveling from France to his native China, while his wife has been placed under police protection after receiving threats. Meng’s wife contacted police in Lyon, the French city where the international police agency is based, after not hearing from him since Sept. 25, and after receiving threats by phone and on social media, France’s interior ministry said. A person familiar with the investigation said the initial working assumption was that Meng had antagonized Chinese authorities in some way and had been detained as a result. “France is puzzled about the situation of Interpol’s president and concerned about the threats made to his wife,” the ministry said, adding that it was in contact with China. Meng’s wife, who has remained in Lyon with their children according to police sources, was receiving protection, it said. It was not clear why Meng, 64, who was named Interpol’s president two years ago, had traveled to China, which has not commented officially on his disappearance. China’s Ministry of Public Security did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment and there was no mention of him in official media on Saturday. There have been several cases in recent years of senior Chinese officials vanishing without explanation, only for the government to announce weeks or even months later that they have been put under investigation, often for suspected corruption. Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post quoted an unnamed source as saying Meng had been taken for questioning as soon as he landed in China, but it was not clear why. French police are investigating what is officially termed in France a “worrying disappearance”. Interpol, which groups 192 countries and which is usually focused on finding people who are missing or wanted, said in a statement from its secretary general, Juergen Stock, that it had asked China for clarification. “Interpol has requested through official law enforcement channels clarification from China’s authorities on the status of Interpol President Meng Hongwei,” Stock, who is in charge Interpol’s day-to-day running, said on Saturday. ‘BIZARRE’ Roderic Broadhurst, a professor of criminology at Australian National University, said Meng’s disappearance would be “pretty disconcerting” for people in international bodies that work with China, and could ultimately damage China’s efforts to develop cooperative legal assistance measures with other countries. “It is bizarre,” Broadhurst said on Saturday, adding that China was likely to “brush off” any political damage that it would cause to Beijing’s involvement in international bodies. “It’s a price that might have to be paid, but I guess they would see that as a cost worth bearing,” Broadhurst said. Presidents of Interpol are seconded from their national administrations and remain in their home post while representing the international policing body. Meng is listed on the website of China’s Ministry of Public Security as a vice-minister, but lost his seat on its Communist Party Committee in April, the South China Morning Post reported. Meng has almost 40 years’ experience in criminal justice and policing, and has overseen matters related to legal institutions, narcotics control and counter-terrorism, according to Interpol’s website. Interpol staff can carry special passports to help speed deployment in emergency situations but that would not have given Meng any specific rights or immunity in his home country. FILE PHOTO: INTERPOL President Meng Hongwei poses during a visit to the headquarters of International Police Organisation in Lyon, France, May 8, 2018. Jeff Pachoud/Pool via Reuters When Meng was named Interpol’s president in Nov. 2016, human rights groups expressed concern that Beijing might try to leverage his position to pursue dissidents abroad. Beijing has in the past pressed countries to arrest and deport to China citizens it accuses of crimes, from corruption to terrorism. At the time, Amnesty International called Meng’s appointment “at odds with Interpol’s mandate to work in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” \|\|\|\|\| Image copyright EPA Image caption Meng Hongwei was elected Interpol's head two years ago France has opened an investigation into the disappearance of Meng Hongwei, the Chinese head of the international police agency Interpol. His family have not heard from him since he left Interpol HQ in the French city of Lyon for a trip back to China on 25 September, officials said. "He did not disappear in France," a source close to the inquiry told AFP. The South China Morning Post quotes a source as saying Mr Meng, 64, was "taken away" for questioning in China. It is not clear why he was being investigated by "discipline authorities" or where he was being held, the Hong Kong-based newspaper adds. Officials in China have so far made no public comments on Mr Meng, a senior Communist Party official there. What is the French investigation looking at? It was opened after Mr Meng's wife went to police to report her husband missing. She was initially quoted by police sources as saying she has not heard from him since his departure on 29 September. But the French interior ministry later said the correct date was 25 September. "Exchanges with Chinese authorities continue," the ministry said. "France is puzzled about the situation of Interpol's president and concerned about the threats made to his wife." It did not provide any further details. Has Meng Hongwei angered China? Analysis by BBC Asia Editor Celia Hatton Meng Hongwei's disappearance seems to fit in with a now familiar pattern among China's senior Communist Party officials. The official in question suddenly drops out of the public eye and an alarm is raised that the person is "missing", usually by members of the public. Eventually, the party issues a terse statement that the official is "under investigation", the official is then booted from the party for "disciplinary infractions" and - eventually - a prison sentence is announced. Since Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, well over a million party officials have been disciplined in some way. Mr Meng's case is notable for a few reasons. First, his wife notified the French authorities after he had only been missing for a few days. Family members of missing party officials rarely, if ever, reach out to foreign authorities, in fear their relatives will face ever greater punishment. Did the wife do this because she felt there was no other option? Also, at one time, China prized Mr Meng's lofty position at Interpol. If he has really gone missing within the Chinese state apparatus, whom did he anger, or what could he have done for Beijing to willingly, and publicly, forfeit the top job at Interpol? How has Interpol reacted? In a statement, the organisation said it was aware of reports of the "alleged disappearance" of Mr Meng. "This is a matter for the relevant authorities in both France and China," it said. Interpol added that the secretary general - not the president - was in charge of the day-to-day running of the 192-member organisation. As president, Mr Meng leads the Executive Committee, which provides the overall guidance and direction to Interpol. Mr Meng's term is scheduled to run until 2020. Before taking over at Interpol, Meng Hongwei was deputy minister in charge of public security in China. After his election human rights groups expressed concern that the move could help China pursue political dissidents who have fled the country. Meng Hongwei Elected as Interpol's president in November 2016 Scheduled to serve until 2020 Is a senior Communist Party official in China and has served as Chinese vice-minister of public security Has 40 years of experience in criminal justice and policing Mr Meng said at the time that he was ready to do "everything he could towards the cause of policing in the world". Mr Meng has 40 years of experience in criminal justice and policing in China, notably in the fields of drugs, counter-terrorism and border control, according to Interpol. Interpol can issue a red notice - an international alert - for a wanted person. But it does not have the power to send officers into countries to arrest individuals or issue arrest warrants.	– Meng Hongwei's wife has reported him missing. If that sentence doesn't pack much punch for you, we'll rephrase it: The wife of the president of Interpol has reported him missing. Meng left France on Sept. 29 for a trip to his native China, and sources tell Reuters his wife hasn't heard from him since; the AP reports she contacted authorities in Lyon, where Interpol's HQ is located, on Friday. Interpol's take on what it refers to as an "alleged disappearance," per a statement: "This is a matter for the relevant authorities in both France and China." A French official confirmed that Meng did arrive in China. Meng is midway through a four-year term as president; Reuters points out he's largely a figurehead, with the agency's secretary general, Juergen Stock, running the show day-to-day. The BBC explains the president helms the Executive Committee, which directs the overall course Interpol takes.
A Los Angeles-based artist claims she was punched in the face over the weekend because her drawing of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump shows him with a small penis. Illma Gore, whose pastel "Make American Great Again" has been widely shared on social media, said a man attacked her Saturday near her LA home. The man drove up, got out of his black Honda Civic, hit her and yelled, "Trump 2016!" she wrote in an Instagram post with a photo showing her with a black eye. She said she wasn't seriously hurt. Gore reported the assault to police, and shared the police report with the New York Daily News. LA police couldn't immediately comment on the investigation. Gore asked anyone with information about the attack to contact authorities. Gore's nude portrait of Trump shows him with the wrinkles and folds befitting a 69-year-old man -- and a very small male sex organ. She said she debuted the drawing in February, before Trump defended his penis size at the March 3 Republican debate. Gore, 24, insists the portrait wasn't necessarily calling out Trump on the size of his genitalia. The work "was created to evoke a reaction from its audience, good or bad, about the significance we place on our physical selves," Gore wrote on her website. "One should not feel emasculated by their penis size or vagina, as it does not define who you are. Your genitals do not define your gender, your power, or your status. "Simply put, you can be a massive prick, despite what is in your pants." HuffPost's efforts to reach Gore have been unsuccessful. WARNING: The painting can be seen below, but it leaves little to the imagination. Illma Gore/The Maddox Gallery The print has been a popular attraction at London's Maddox Gallery since it went on display April 8. The work has also aroused Trump supporters, who Gore claims have sent her death threats, according to he Independent. She also said someone claiming to be from Trump's team threatened her with a lawsuit if she sold it. Gore said proceeds from the eventual sale of "Make America Great Again" will benefit Safe Place for Youth, a homeless shelter in Los Angeles, according to the Daily Dot. \|\|\|\|\| A woman who painted a nude portrait of Trump says a man punched her in the face and yelled “Trump 2016.” Robert Kovacik reports for the NBC4 News at 11 on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. (Published Wednesday, May 4, 2016) Artist Says She Was Punched Over Nude Portrait of Trump A 24-year-old Southern California artist who painted a portrait of Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump in the nude said she was punched in the face by an attacker who yelled "Trump 2016." The Los Angeles Police Department was investigating the assault Tuesday, but Illma Gore said the attack wasn't the first she has dealt with since painting Trump in a portrait depicting the GOP front-runner with small genitals. "I have received threats of violence and people say they were coming to kill me," Gore said. Southern California artist Illma Gore, 24, says she was accosted and punched over her drawing of a naked Donald Trump, which depicts the Republican front-runner with small genitals. Photo credit: Illma Gore On Friday, Gore was suddenly confronted by a violent, shirtless stranger in broad daylight. She was walking to an art supply store near La Cienega Boulevard at the time. "All I could hear was 'Trump 2016,'" Gore said. A group of men traveling in a black Honda Civic stopped beside her on the sidewalk, according to Gore. "He got out and punched me in the face and said 'Trump 2016' — then he drove off," Gore said. Gore went to the LAPD and immediately reported the assault. "She sustained severe injuries," said Mike Lopez of the LAPD. "We are aware of the incident and we are investigating." Gore's controversial pastel drawing of a naked Donald Trump — titled "Make America Great Again" — shows the Republican front-runner with small genitals because of how he was "boasting" about his endowment during the March presidential debate, she said. Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail "I have no regrets. I would do it all over again," Gore said. But it does make her concerned about free speech. "I am scared for America, and for the future for myself and for artists," Gore said. "Whoever hit me should take responsibility for their actions as well. It's cowardly not to." In an interview with police, Gore described the man who hit her as shirtless and wearing a red cap and red shorts. She estimated he was about 25 years old. The LAPD is looking into whether any surveillance from the area may help lead to an arrest. \|\|\|\|\| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites.	– From death threats to an alleged attack: Artist Illma Gore, whose unflattering pastel drawing of Donald Trump in the buff is hanging in a gallery in London, says a Trump supporter punched her in the face on a Los Angeles street as she walked near her home on Friday. Gore, who had just returned from the UK, tells NBC4 that a shirtless man around 25 years old, wearing red shorts and a red cap, jumped out of a car, yelled "Trump 2016," hit her, and then laughed. An Instagram photo shows Gore with blood in her eye and plenty of bruising. "She sustained severe injuries," an LAPD rep says. "We are aware of the incident and we are investigating." "I am scared for America, and for the future for myself and for artists," Gore says. "I am sad that Trump, and many of his supporters, don't find words enough to express their opinions. They need walls, waterboarding, and punches," she adds on Instagram, calling on Trump to "stop glamorizing and perpetuating violence." She also asks for any witnesses to the attack to come forward, notes the Huffington Post. Despite all, Gore says she has no regrets about the Trump portrait. In fact, she just wrapped up a portrait of Ted Cruz in the nude, per the New York Daily News.
After spending two weeks on vacation in Mexico, Richard and Linda Bell were on a United Airlines flight home from Houston to Calgary on Sunday. They thought their adventure was over — until a scorpion fell from the overhead compartment and on to Richard. They didn’t immediately recognize the honey-colored, 1.5-inch animal until a passenger sitting next to them pointed out that it was probably a scorpion. Richard took the scorpion from his hair and dropped it onto his tray. When he picked it up again, the animal stung him. Bell told Global News Canada that it “felt like a wasp sting.” Another passenger took the scorpion, stomped it on the ground and then threw the remains in the toilet. Upon landing in Calgary, emergency personnel came onboard the plane to examine Richard. He showed “no sign of distress,” according to an EMS spokesperson, and declined medical attention. It is unclear how the scorpion got onto the flight, although the most likely scenario is that it snuck onboard inside someone’s luggage. United Airlines is investigating the incident. This is not the first time a scorpion had made its way onto the cabin and bit a passenger. In 2015, an Alaska Airlines flight was forced to return to its origin airport in Los Angeles after a woman onboard was stung by a scorpion. The woman declined medical attention upon arrival. \|\|\|\|\| A creature that appeared to be a scorpion fell from an overhead bin and stung a man on a United Airlines flight, the company confirmed to CNBC on Thursday. According to multiple reports, passenger Richard Bell was on a United flight from Houston to Calgary on Sunday, when the creature fell from an overhead bin and stung him. United told CNBC the airline crew immediately consulted with a physician on the ground who provided guidance throughout the incident. The company said the man's injuries were non-life threatening. "Medical personnel met the aircraft after it arrived in Calgary," United spokesman Charles Hobart told CNBC. The news came after United sparked outrage earlier this week when a video surfaced of a passenger being dragged off an overbooked United Express flight. United CEO Oscar Munoz at first supported the action. Later, he apologized "for having to re-accommodate these customers." On Tuesday, he issued a detailed apology. Watch: The latest on United's very bad week	– United Airlines stockholder: "Man, this week couldn't get any worse." Scorpion: "Hold my beer." CNBC reports a scorpion fell out of an overhead bin and stung a passenger during a United flight between Houston and Calgary on Sunday. Richard Bell was on his way home from a two-week vacation in Mexico when the scorpion fell onto his head, according to Travel and Leisure. After stinging Bell, the scorpion was crushed by another passenger and thrown in a toilet. Flight crew consulted with a doctor, and the sting was determined not to be life-threatening. Bell declined treatment upon landing in Calgary. It's unclear how the scorpion got on the flight.
Faced with the stress and inconvenience of missing a flight, most people would throw themselves on the mercy of their airline or seek solace in the airport bar. Not so one traveller, who decided he had to be on the aeroplane from Madrid to the Canary Islands last Friday. A video, shot by airport workers and posted on Facebook, shows the unidentified man clutching his bags and jumping off an air bridge – the extendable corridor that connects airport departure gates with plane doors – and on to the asphalt of Barajas airport in the hope of reaching his plane in time. “This is how passengers in Madrid behave when they don’t arrive in time to catch their planes,” read the post. “This particular passenger missed his Ryanair flight and, however incredible it may seem, got through the different security procedures that [Spain’s airport authority] Aena has in place at its airports.” The poster went on to note that Spain is on its second highest anti-terror alert level. A spokesman for Aena confirmed the incident had taken place at about 9pm on 5 August. “The passenger had reached the gate with his boarding pass after clearing security,” he said. “He broke through a fire escape, the doors opened and he got out that way.” Although the alarm was sounded and the Guardia Civil were called, he added, the man still managed to board his flight and get to Gran Canaria, where he was arrested by police. The spokesman stressed that the man, who has not been named, had passed the required security checks, adding: “This person had cleared security and had no terrorist motivations. He was never suspected of being a terrorist.” The Guardia Civil said that while the man had been stopped by airport workers and told to wait for the police, he had not done so. “It seems that he got on to the tarmac because he’d missed his flight but the plane he was trying to get on wasn’t his,” said a spokeswoman. “When he realised that, he got on the flight to Gran Canaria.” The spokeswoman said that after being questioned by officers on the island, the man had been released but would still face punishment. Ryanair declined to comment on what it termed a “security breach”, saying it was a matter for Madrid airport police. \|\|\|\|\| Story highlights Ryanair passenger breaches airport security to run after missed flight He dashed across tarmac at Madrid's airport as shocked workers looked on (CNN) You run to the boarding gate, only to find it closed. But you can see your plane, just now rolling across the tarmac. If only you could run out there and flag it down! That's exactly what one man did in Spain recently. The Ryanair passenger managed to bypass security at Madrid-Barajas Airport and leap from an open gangway onto the tarmac. A Ryanair passenger, pictured in blue t-shirt, jumps off the boarding bridge before running across tarmac. Still lugging two bags, he appears to try to stop a baggage carrier vehicle, but gives up and then sprints toward the waiting plane where he is finally stopped by ground crew. But perhaps most remarkable of all, the man then boarded his plane, which was bound for Spain's Canary Islands. Read More \|\|\|\|\| ... ived in Barcelona airport the 10 January 2017 flying from gate 33 on FR6374 to Paris Beauvais airport. First, two staff came to us asking for the boarding pass without saying even good morning to us. We then understood that she wanted our hand carry. we told her that we have valuable item in our hand carry and if we can, we would like to keep it. They said no choice you have to check in you are the last ( we were seated and only 40 people queuing )even if valuable item which is not covered by the airline if the bag is lost. Then they put a bag tag on our bag but the date was unreadable, ( picture below) so I decided to ask the staff why no date appears in the manual bag tag. She said ok then she put 10. I told her if my bag is lost we have to know if it' s 10 January or December, she laught with the other staff she spokes Spanish with the other staff thinking that I don't understand " put the date on her bag like this she can go away from here". She then put 01 for January and 17. I requested her name but she refused to do so, then she read her staff number 368245 which I don't know if it's correct or no. Then the staff call the safety because she thought that I took a picture of her. When the safety agent came he requested to show him my mobile which is very personal and I am not sure he is allowed to do it. Then I queue to board the plane and the staff took my boarding pass and my passport and requested me to wait. So I asked why I have to wait but she refused to answer and she continues to board other passengers. I was waiting, I saw a leader so I asked why I was waiting, she requested the rude agent and she replied to her because "I WANT !". It was already 6:22 and the queue in the aero bridge was until gate 33. Door closed 8:40 So I hope you will debit the delay to Lesma handling asking me to wait for nothing you can verify in the history of the system that I was the last, boarding the aircraft. I am sure that working with Ryanair you have to do your best to handle flights quickly to avoid delays and additional taxes of the airport to the airline and the plane was already here so don't be surprised if the flights are delayed with this kind of child behaviour from Lesma staff. It's not because you work with low-cost airline that you have to be unprofessional. Of course when I arrived on board I found space in many overhead compartments. Please find the pictures below. Bagage missing can cost a lot for airlines and it's also a security incident because the bag was not labelled correctly. I have been flying with Ryanair about 10 times last year and I was very happy of the service even if it' a low-cost carrier. I hope you will take into consideration my complain and do a reminder regarding importance of labelling correctly the bags in an international airport. For Ryanair I hope it's a single incident from Lesma it's important for me to give my feedback because it'cheaper for an airline to keep their customers than to look for other ones. If this happen again I invite you to change your Handling in Barcelona to avoid delays and extra cost for you. Best regards PS: Please give a copy of the complain of the 2 staff laughing to me and told them that a job is very important especially when your country is in crisis situation. KAMBOUA Mrs Dear Mrs Manero, Ryanair and EASA,I am writing to you regarding the incredible service I have rece	– Look, no one wants to miss their flight, but sometimes you just have to deal with it. The Guardian reports a man was late to his flight from Madrid to the Canary Islands on Friday, but instead of giving up, he ducked out a fire escape, jumped from a gangway, and—bags in hand—chased a Ryanair plane down the tarmac. The whole thing was caught on video and posted to Facebook by airport workers. The man was stopped by workers before catching the plane, which was actually the wrong one, but still somehow managed to get onto his flight, according to CNN. He was arrested upon landing in the Canary Islands.
The writers of Toy Story are reportedly in talks to pen a movie based on FarmVille, the popular Facebook game. Alec Sokolow and Joel Cohen said in an interview with IGN that they're working with Zynga on a movie based on one of the company's most popular games, adding "Can't really say too much on that front yet, but 'Old MacDonald' didn't have a factory, if you get our drift." We get it: Making a movie is super risky. Unlike launching new apps and websites, movies are a huge upfront investment in the vague hope of a hit. Hence the tendency to just remake something that's already popular. Or the flurry of movies based on popular websites, apps and tech personalties. The Facebook movie. The Steve Jobs movie (possibly). The Angry Birds movie. Why take a chance on something new when you can buy the rights to something with tens of millions of fans already? What does a FarmVille movie look like anyway? No doubt it'll be a computer-animated feature (in 3D, of course!) incorporating the graphics and themes of the Facebook game. But FarmVille is a game in which you tend crops. Is that going to be a bit ... boring? And while to tens of millions of people, FarmVille is an addictive pastime, for the friends of those people (ie. us!) it's actually kind of a nuisance. Would a FarmVille movie be met with glowing reviews or - more likely - an audible sigh from those of us who grudgingly tolerate the addiction of our FarmVille-playing friends and relatives? And could the critics be anything but, well, critical of this cynical attempt at turning a successful gaming franchise into an equally popular film? Ah, but plenty can happen at these early stages — one of a hundred issues may prevent the movie from entering production. Not to mention that FarmVille is no longer the most popular Facebook game, reducing the potential audience for the movie. Or perhaps I'll be proven sorely wrong. After all, a certain movie based on the Facebook story took home 3 Oscars this year. PS. For those movie studios thinking of following suit, Zynga was kind enough to list its top-performing games - plus some intriguing stats - in its IPO filing earlier this year: \|\|\|\|\| In an interview about their work on upcoming game Skylanders Spyro's Adventures, Toy Story writers Alec Sokolow and Joel Cohen have revealed that they're currently in talks to pen a film based on Farmville. Speaking with IGN, the pair said the following when asked about projects they're currently working on: "So, yes, we will continue writing movies. We are also working on several new and very exciting opportunities. We're in conversations with Zynga to do something with one of their brands. Can't really say too much on that front yet, but 'Old MacDonald' didn't have a factory, if you get our drift." Previous rumors have led to speculation about Zynga working on a Mafia Wars film , but a Farmville movie has never been revealed.The project has not been formally announced. When contacted, Zynga refused to comment.For our full interview with Sokolow and Cohen, be sure to check IGN tomorrow.	– If you're among the legions of people coping with FarmVille addicts, well, prepare for a new assault on humanity: The writers behind Toy Story tell IGN that they're working with videogame giant Zynga to bring FarmVille to the big screen: "We're in conversations with Zynga to do something with one of their brands. Can't really say too much on that front yet, but 'Old MacDonald' didn't have a factory, if you get our drift." Which leads Pete Cashmore of Mashable to pen a post headlined, "Please Lord, Save Us From the FarmVille Movie": "What does a FarmVille movie look like anyway? No doubt it’ll be a computer-animated feature (in 3D, of course!) incorporating the graphics and themes of the Facebook game. But FarmVille is a game in which you tend crops. Is that going to be a bit … boring? And while to tens of millions of people, FarmVille is an addictive pastime, for the friends of those people (ie. us!) it’s actually kind of a nuisance."
Hi I'm the driving force behind collegiate rape culture and I should be banned from campus Posted by Ian Oliver on Saturday, August 22, 2015 ____ NORFOLK ODU President John Broderick said students could face disciplinary action after a photo of sexually suggestive banners welcoming freshmen women to Old Dominion University sparked a furor on social media Saturday. The three signs at the house, which have been taken down, read: “ Rowdy and fun. Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time …”, “Freshman daughter drop off” with an arrow pointed to the front door and “Go ahead and drop off mom too …” Freshmen spent much of the past few days moving in. On Twitter and the university’s Facebook page Saturday, many people expressed outrage over the sentiment. ODU shared a statement on Facebook from Ellen Neufeldt, vice president of student engagement and enrollment services: “Messages like the ones displayed yesterday by a few students on the balcony of their private residence are not and will not be tolerated. The moment University staff became aware of these banners, they worked to have them removed.” Late Saturday night, ODU President John Broderick emailed students and faculty to express his dismay and reiterated "there is zero tolerance on this campus for sexaul assault and sexual harassment." "This incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some," he wrote. He also said any student found to have violated the code of conduct would face disciplinary action. A message from Vice President of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services Ellen Neufeldt: "Messages like the ones... Posted by Old Dominion University on Saturday, August 22, 2015 On Saturday afternoon, spray paint that matched the signs was visible on the driveway of a house in the 1500 block of W. 43rd St., presumably where the paint bled through the banners. The house, across the street from campus, appeared to be the same one pictured in the photograph that circulated on the web. A man at the house Saturday who declined to be identified said the signs were never hung there. When a reporter pointed out the spray paint on the driveway, he admitted the signs were made there but insisted they were hung at a different house on the street. A half hour later, the wayward spray paint in the driveway was covered by plywood. Katie Vizzi, a 20-year-old international business finance major, saw the banners hanging Friday afternoon as she drove home from her job as a nanny. “It was pretty trashy,” she said. Especially, Vizzi said, because seeing the signs might be the first experience parents might have with the university. Neufeldt’s statement said the banners “are not representative of our 3,000 faculty and staff, 25,000 students and our 130,000 alumni.” The post linked to a video in which young people in ODU clothing, presumably students, discussed rape culture, saying victims should not be blamed. The video ended with the group saying “it’s on us to stop sexual assault.” \|\|\|\|\| Related Coverage Students react to Welcome Week banners at OSU NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Viewers contacted 10 On Your Side after they saw upsetting signs hanging from a home just outside the Old Dominion University campus. In a photo posted on WAVY’s Facebook page, the signs appear to be hanging from the home’s second story balcony and read “Rowdy and fun. Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time,” another with an arrow pointing to the home’s front door said “Freshmen daughter drop off,” and a third painted on what appears to be a large white sheet says, “Go ahead and drop off mom too.” “I think the perception that was there was that this is not a welcoming environment, and that we do not take an approach to combat sexual assault, which is not true,” said Chris Ndiritu, student government president. WAVY.com reached out to ODU. The school’s spokesperson, Giovanna Genard, confirms the signs were hanging from a private residence on 43rd Street in Norfolk. Genard also provided a statement from Ellen Nuefeldt, Vice President of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services. “Messages like the ones displayed [Friday] by a few students on the balcony of their private residence are not and will not tolerated. The moment University staff became aware of these banners, they worked to have them removed. At ODU, we foster a community of respect and dignity and these messages sickened us. They are not representative of our 3,000 faculty and staff, 25,000 students and our 130,000 alumni. ODU is a community that works actively to promote bystander intervention and takes a stand denouncing violence against women. The “It’s on Us” video is just one example of ODU students’ leadership on this topic. In addition, the University ensures all students receive education on the prevention of sexual harassment and relationship violence.” The President of ODU, John R. Broderick, sent WAVY.com this statement Saturday night, which was sent to all faculty, staff and students: Dear Colleague: I am outraged about the offensive message directed toward women that was visible for a time on 43rd Street. Our students, campus community and alumni have been offended. While we constantly educate students, faculty and staff about sexual assault and sexual harassment, this incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some. A young lady I talked to earlier today courageously described the true meaning of the hurt this caused. She thought seriously about going back home. But she was heartened, she explained, when she saw how fellow students were reacting to this incident on social media. She realized this callous and senseless act did not reflect the Old Dominion she has come to love. The Student Government Association has recently developed the “Monarchs Raising Up” campaign educating our students on prevention of sexual and relationship violence, bystander intervention, and off-campus responsible behavior. Through video, online and in-person content, we layer education on these topics for all of our students throughout the year. All new freshman just received education this weekend on preventing discrimination and sexual assault in sessions we call “First Class.” Here is a link to a video from our student leaders responding to this event–just one example of how Old Dominion University students take a stand every day in regards to respecting each other and promoting responsible behavior: https://youtu.be/NC72ruvRtdY I said at my State of the University address that there is zero tolerance on this campus for sexual assault and sexual harassment. This incident will be reviewed immediately by those on campus empowered to do so. Any student found to have violated the code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary action. Sincerely, John R. Broderick President According to the ODU website, this weekend is freshmen move-in weekend. \|\|\|\|\| The link you followed may have expired, or the Facebook Page may only be visible to an audience you're not in. \|\|\|\|\| Freshman women at Old Dominion University were given a very special welcome last week when they arrived on campus: Large banners that read “Rowdy and fun/Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time,” “Freshman daughter drop off,” and “Go ahead and drop off mom too.” Photos of the helpful offers to fornicate with women across multiple generations in the university community have since gone viral. ODU’s administration responded to the signage on August 22, issuing the following statement: “Messages like the ones displayed yesterday by a few students on the balcony of their private residence are not and will not [be] tolerated. The moment University staff became aware of these banners, they worked to have them removed. At ODU, we foster a community of respect and dignity, and these messages sickened us. They are not representative of our 3,000 faculty and staff, 25,000 students, and 130,000 alumni. Ours is a community that works actively to promote bystander intervention and takes a stand denouncing violence against women. The ‘It’s on Us’ video is just one example of ODU students’ leadership on this topic. In addition, the University ensures all students receive education on the prevention of sexual harassment and relationship violence.” Ellen Neufeldt, Vice President of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services signed her name to this statement. That same day, Old Dominion’s Student Government Association also issued their own verbal condemnation of the incident. They filmed a video directly addressing the banners and stated: “An incident occurred this weekend that does not reflect the University’s commitment to the prevention of Sexual Assault and Dating Violence. Not only do these actions taken by a few individuals undermine the countless efforts at Old Dominion University to prevent sexual assault, they are also unwelcoming, offensive, and unacceptable. Over the past year, our community, partners, faculty/staff, and student leaders have stood side-by-side to inform and educate our campus on Sexual Assault prevention. This issue is not new, rather, it is one that continues to be prevalent around the world. It is very important for all of us to take action and be part of the solution! These actions do not reflect the students’ views at Old Dominion University. We encourage YOU to continue to raise awareness, hold each other accountable, take care of one another, and be responsible citizens of the Monarch Community.” Advertisement At roughly 9 p.m. on the same day, university president John Broderick sent a message to the university community—also posted to ODU’s Facebook page—emphasizing his outrage over the banners. He concludes with the suggestion that disciplinary action may be taken, though it’s unclear how this behavior will be assessed in the context of the school’s code of conduct: “I said at my State of the University address that there is zero tolerance on this campus for sexual assault and sexual harassment. This incident will be reviewed by those on campus empowered to do so. Any student found to have violated the code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary action.” The tipster who sent us a link to one of the originating Facebook post complained that the homemade signage was draped across the balcony of a house where members of a fraternity live. While the house responsible was unidentified in the post, a source on campus told us that several members of Sigma Nu live there. For comparison, here is a photograph from the chapter’s Instagram account (which they’ve since made private). The photo is also used as the header photo in the fraternity’s official Twitter account: Advertisement Sigma Nu’s official “vision” is “Excelling with Honor,” their values “Love, Honor, Truth.” I called the number listed on the Sigma Nu chapter’s Facebook page, hoping to get a statement from the brotherhood. But when I asked if I had reached the chapter’s residence, the individual who answered the phone replied, “No.” Fred Dobry, Sigma Nu’s national Director of Risk Reduction suggested that Sigma Nu members who live in the house were not responsible for the banners outside of their house. He tells Jezebel, Sigma Nu Fraternity is investigating this matter, and based on what we know at this point, Fraternity members at ODU are not responsible for these offensive banners. While four members of the ODU chapter live in the building where the banners were displayed, initial information indicates individuals not associated with Sigma Nu Fraternity are responsible for the banners. Our investigation is continuing. Advertisement Reporters who physically visited the house were also given the dodge. Here’s the Virginian-Pilot: On Saturday afternoon, spray paint that matched the signs was visible on the driveway of a house in the 1500 block of W. 43rd St., presumably where the paint bled through the banners. The house, across the street from campus, appeared to be the same one pictured in the photograph that circulated on the web. A man at the house Saturday who declined to be identified said the signs were never hung there. When a reporter pointed out the spray paint on the driveway, he admitted the signs were made there but insisted they were hung at a different house on the street. A half hour later, the wayward spray paint in the driveway was covered by plywood. Advertisement Despite the chapter’s silence, on August 23, Jezebel received email confirmation from ODU Interfraternity Council President Michael Faust that “several fraternity members”—the chapter was not named—were responsible: “...in response to the incident that occurred on Friday, August 21 in which several fraternity members placed highly offensive banners off their balcony, I would like to make a point that this was an embarrassing, unacceptable action that the general Greek community strongly denounces. The actions of these few fraternity members do not represent the values that they pledged to uphold. The Interfraternity Council’s judicial board will review this incident.” ODU student Mary Coleman, who originally posted the image to Facebook on Saturday afternoon, wrote in an email: “I feel very strongly about how the attitude towards sexual assault on campuses is met with a slap on the wrist.” She suggests that campus efforts do not reflect the media’s burgeoning focus on systemic sexual violence: “As a woman, it’s frustrating to see the media bring awareness to the issue and then witness something related in your own community/school and see that nothing is changing.” Advertisement Coleman’s original post inspired a thread of comments, including a response from the ODU Facebook account. One of the first people to share the photo, with the caption “Gotta love ODU,” was Norfolk police officer Ryan Shepherd. Twitter’s response to these signs has ranged from amusement: Advertisement To bewilderment: To outrage: Advertisement This isn’t the first time, of course, that frat boys have shown their asses in such a fashion. In 2010, DKE pledges at Yale walked around campus chanting, “No means yes/ Yes means anal,” which Anna North described at this website as a “transparent plea for attention.” Texas Tech frat boys put up a similar sign last year. Over the summer, a Sigma Nu member at the University of Central Florida was caught on video chanting “Let’s rape some sluts,” only months after being accused of sexual assault by a fellow UCF student. We’re currently awaiting statements from Sigma Nu Fraternity and ODU’s Interfraternity Council, and will keep you updated as things continue to develop. Advertisement Contact the author at rachel.vorona.cote@jezebel.com. Top Image from Facebook. Embedded Images and Screengrabs from Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Advertisement \|\|\|\|\| Please enable Javascript to watch this video NORFOLK, Virginia – Old Dominion University officials took time from their weekend to respond to some banners hung up at an off-campus home that are upsetting many. “At ODU, we foster a community of respect and dignity and these messages sickened us,” said ODU spokeswoman Giovanna Genard in a statement provided to NewsChannel 3. The signs displayed at a home on 43rd street had messages like: “Rowdy and Fun. Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time.” time.” “Freshman daughter drop off.” “Go ahead and drop off mom too.” WTKR reports ODU officials say they believe the people who live at the private residents are students and say they are investigating. The University sent this statement in full: “Messages like the ones displayed yesterday by a few students on the balcony of their private residence are not and will not be tolerated. The moment University staff became aware of these banners, they worked to have them removed. At ODU, we foster a community of respect and dignity and these messages sickened us. They are not representative of our 3,000 faculty and staff, 25,000 students and our 130,000 alumni. Ours is a community that works actively to promote bystander intervention and takes a stand denouncing violence against women. The “It’s on Us” video is just one example of ODU students’ leadership on this topic. In addition, the University ensures all students receive education on the prevention of sexual harassment and relationship violence. Any student found to have violated the code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary action.” The banners also prompted a response from ODU’s Student Government Association: “An incident occurred this weekend that does not reflect the University’s commitment to the prevention of Sexual Assault and Dating Violence. Not only do these actions taken by a few individuals undermine the countless efforts at Old Dominion University to prevent sexual assault, they are also unwelcoming, offensive, and unacceptable,” said Chris Ndiritu, President of the Student Government Association. Students tell NewsChannel 3 there are Sigma Nu fraternity brothers that live in the home. ODU President John R. Broderick sent this message to faculty, staff and students: I am outraged about the offensive message directed toward women that was visible for a time on 43rd Street. Our students, campus community and alumni have been offended. While we constantly educate students, faculty and staff about sexual assault and sexual harassment, this incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some. A young lady I talked to earlier today courageously described the true meaning of the hurt this caused. She thought seriously about going back home. But she was heartened, she explained, when she saw how fellow students were reacting to this incident on social media. She realized this callous and senseless act did not reflect the Old Dominion she has come to love. The Student Government Association has recently developed the “Monarchs Raising Up” campaign educating our students on prevention of sexual and relationship violence, bystander intervention, and off-campus responsible behavior. Through video, online and in-person content, we layer education on these topics for all of our students throughout the year. All new freshman just received education this weekend on preventing discrimination and sexual assault in sessions we call “First Class.” Here is a link to a video from our student leaders responding to this event–just one example of how Old Dominion University students take a stand every day in regards to respecting each other and promoting responsible behavior: Sincerely, John R. Broderick” “Dear Colleague:I am outraged about the offensive message directed toward women that was visible for a time on 43rd Street. Our students, campus community and alumni have been offended. While we constantly educate students, faculty and staff about sexual assault and sexual harassment, this incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some. A young lady I talked to earlier today courageously described the true meaning of the hurt this caused. She thought seriously about going back home. But she was heartened, she explained, when she saw how fellow students were reacting to this incident on social media. She realized this callous and senseless act did not reflect the Old Dominion she has come to love. The Student Government Association has recently developed the “Monarchs Raising Up” campaign educating our students on prevention of sexual and relationship violence, bystander intervention, and off-campus responsible behavior. Through video, online and in-person content, we layer education on these topics for all of our students throughout the year. All new freshman just received education this weekend on preventing discrimination and sexual assault in sessions we call “First Class.” Here is a link to a video from our student leaders responding to this event–just one example of how Old Dominion University students take a stand every day in regards to respecting each other and promoting responsible behavior: https://youtu.be/NC72ruvRtdY I said at my State of the University address that there is zero tolerance on this campus for sexual assault and sexual harassment. This incident will be reviewed immediately by those on campus empowered to do so. Any student found to have violated the code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary action.Sincerely,John R. Broderick” \|\|\|\|\| Old Dominion University issued multiple statements and circulated two YouTube videos over the weekend after a group of students put up three banners decried as offensive and an example of rape culture. Three banners were displayed at a private, off-campus house in Norfolk, Virginia, reading "Freshman Daughter Drop Off," with an arrow pointing at the front door, "Go Ahead And Drop Off Mom Too ..." and "Rowdy And Fun, Hope Your Baby Girl Is Ready For A Good Time ..." The students removed the banners after the university contacted them, school officials said. ODU President John R. Broderick said Sunday in a statement that he was "outraged about the offensive message directed toward women," noting that multiple students also shared his disgust on social media. A Virginia man posted the photos Friday afternoon on Facebook. A screengrab captured by The Huffington Post is displayed below:	– Students, college officials, and the public at large are infuriated after banners hung from a private house near Virginia's Old Dominion University "welcomed" this year's freshman class with banners described by WAVY as "upsetting." A photo captured in a screengrab by the Huffington Post (which says it was originally posted on a Virginia man's Facebook page) that started circulating online Friday shows what appear to be three white sheets hanging from the second-story balcony of a Norfolk off-campus house, with the following messages scrawled on them: "Rowdy and fun. Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time," "Freshmen daughter drop off" (with a helpful arrow pointing down to the residence's front door), and "Go ahead and drop off mom too." Sources have told both NewsChannel 13 and Jezebel that members of the Sigma Nu frat live in the house. (Jezebel only got official word from the head of ODU's Interfraternity Council that "several" members of an unnamed fraternity were responsible.) A school spokeswoman says the signs were hung from a residence on 43rd Street, and university officials are blasting the banners. "The moment University staff became aware of these banners, they worked to have them removed. … These messages sickened us," a school VP said in a statement, per WAVY, while President John R. Broderick sent a message that read, "I am outraged about the offensive message directed toward women that was visible for a time on 43rd Street. ... While we constantly educate students, faculty and staff about sexual assault and sexual harassment, this incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some." A Jezebel writer tried calling the number on the Sigma Nu house's Facebook page to see if it was the same house, but she appears to have gotten the runaround, as did a reporter from the Virginian-Pilot who went to a house on that block whose driveway had spray paint in it matching that of the banners.
The Trump administration’s move to separate immigrant families at the border and detain children apart from their parents spiraled into a humanitarian and political crisis Monday as the White House struggled to contain the growing public outcry. The situation has become a moral test for President Trump and his administration. The president on Monday voiced defiance and continued to falsely blame congressional Democrats for what he decried as a “horrible and tough” situation. But Trump is empowered to immediately order border agents to stop separating families as a result of his “zero tolerance” enforcement policy. The president asserted that the parents illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border with their children “could be murderers and thieves and so much else,” echoing his incendiary remarks about immigrants at his campaign launch in 2015. And in a series of dark tweets, he warned that undocumented immigrants could increase gang crime and usher in cultural changes. “The United States will not be a migrant camp, and it will not be a refugee holding facility,” Trump said in a midday speech. “You look at what’s happening in Europe, you look at what’s happening in other places. We can’t allow that to happen to the United States. Not on my watch.” More than 2,300 children were taken from their parents at the border between May 5 and June 9, according to statistics released Monday by the Department of Homeland Security, with the pace of family separations growing over that period to nearly 70 a day. The separations were roundly condemned — including by all four living former first ladies — as cruel, inhumane and un-American. Administration officials rejected former first lady Laura Bush’s comparison of the detention centers to Japanese American internment camps during World War II. [Laura Bush: Separating children from their parents at the border ‘breaks my heart’] The White House said people killed by illegal immigrants were the true victims because they were “permanently” separated from their family members, even listing crimes in a document that Trump aides shared with allies. Though the administration has tried to present a public picture of steely resolve — vowing not to apologize for enforcing the law, as Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Monday — senior officials have disagreed behind the scenes about the merits and morality of separating children from their parents. “Parents who entered illegally are, by definition, criminals,” Nielsen told reporters during an unusually contentious White House news briefing. “By entering our country illegally, often in dangerous circumstances, illegal immigrants have put their children at risk.” Nielsen maintained that her agency was merely enforcing existing law and said it was up to Congress to change the policy. “It is the beginning of the unraveling of democracy when the body who makes the laws, instead of changing them, tells the enforcement body not to enforce the law,” she said. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen speaks during a contentious news briefing at the White House on Monday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) But many lawmakers disagreed with that assessment. “The White House can fix it if they want to,” said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah). “I don’t think there’s any question about that.” Nielsen also said the administration is not using its “zero tolerance” policy to pressure Congress to act on Trump’s broader immigration agenda or to deter migrants from coming to the country, contradicting comments from other administration officials, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions, White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and senior adviser Stephen Miller. The crisis garnered round-the-clock television news coverage, with journalists reporting about their first glimpses of the concrete-floor and metal-cage conditions inside the detention centers. Nielsen acknowledged that she was not keeping pace with coverage of the crisis, including audio of wailing children published a few hours earlier by ProPublica. She said she did not know why the administration had released images Sunday of young boys in cages at a Texas detention center but not of young girls. Trump has been closely monitoring the coverage but has been suspicious of it, telling associates he believes that the media cherry-picks the most dramatic images and stories to portray his administration in a negative light, according to one senior administration official. The images in the media contrast with more positive photos that Trump’s aides have shown the president depicting detained children smiling, playing video games and exercising outside, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid. Meanwhile, Trump and his advisers were unable to stanch the wellspring of public opposition. Some Republican elected officials joined Democrats in expressing moral outrage and calling for an immediate end to the administration’s family separation policy. [Photos \| This photographer spent a decade at the Mexico border. Here is what he saw.] In an indication that GOP leaders fear negative ramifications in November’s midterm elections, Rep. Steve Stivers (Ohio), who chairs the House Republicans’ campaign arm, called on the administration to change its policy and “stop needlessly separating children from their families.” Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said: “It’s time for this ugly and inhumane practice to end. Now.” He added, “It’s never acceptable to use kids as bargaining chips in political process.” And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) tweeted: “The administration’s current family separation policy is an affront to the decency of the American people, and contrary to principles and values upon which our nation was founded. The administration has the power to rescind this policy. It should do so now.” Two polls released Monday showed the public overwhelmingly against separating the children of illegal immigrants from their parents at the border. A CNN survey found that 28 percent of Americans approve of the policy and 67 percent disapprove, while a Quinnipiac University poll had a similar finding, with 27 percent of voters approving of the policy and 66 percent disapproving. Trump will head to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with House Republicans and push for immigration legislation that would provide funding for his promised border wall, among other priorities. Senior administration officials suggested that the humanitarian crisis at the border was leverage to force legislators to pass such a law. “We do not want to separate parents from their children,” Sessions, an architect and key defender of the policy, said in a speech Monday. “If we build the wall, if we pass legislation to end the lawlessness, we won’t face these terrible choices.” House Republicans are expected to vote this week on two immigration bills: a hard-line measure drafted by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and a second bill cast as a compromise between the moderate and conservative wings of the GOP. House leaders were rushing to insert provisions into both measures that would not separate families, according to a senior GOP aide, and allow children to be detained indefinitely with their parents. The prospect of passage for either bill is murky at best. If neither garners the necessary support, lawmakers would have to decide whether to introduce a stand-alone bill addressing family separation. Trump’s position has been unclear. The president said in a television interview Friday that he would not sign “the more moderate” of the two measures, launching a day of confusion and chaos on Capitol Hill that forced White House officials to clarify that Trump, in fact, supported both bills. Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Republicans said they hoped that Trump would personally deliver assurances that he backs their plan. Senate Republicans also began working to draft a legislative fix to the growing family separation crisis, even as some in their ranks stressed that Trump had the power to reverse the practice himself. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said a “handful” of GOP senators had started to discuss a bill that would be “humane and compassionate but also allows the government to enforce the law.” One of the other senators working on the fix, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), privately spoke with Nielsen on the phone about the unfolding crisis last Friday and said he was also reaching out to Democratic lawmakers about a bill that could pass. “Every direction they go, it’s bad,” Lankford said of DHS officials. “That’s the challenge they have.” The president considers immigration a winning issue for him politically, advisers said. He has complained repeatedly in recent months that he looks “weak” on border enforcement and has been concerned that his base could turn on him for not being tougher, according to a senior administration official. A second administration official said Trump is in agreement with Miller, a hard-line influence in the administration, in believing that “if we’re having an argument on immigration, we always win because that’s our ground, no matter what the nuances of the argument are.” White House officials have said there is no comprehensive strategy at play. “What’s the end game?” another senior administration official asked. At a meeting with Sens. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) at the White House on Monday, Trump reupped his threat to shut down the government in September if he doesn’t get money for the border wall, according to two people familiar with the meeting. The president told the senators he was willing to take such a drastic action, these people said, and wanted his wall funding along with strong border security measures. The issue of family separation was mentioned in passing, with Trump putting blame on Democrats. Behind the scenes at the White House, aides scrambled Monday to manage the public relations fallout and rally support for their policy. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s daily briefing, first scheduled for 1:15 p.m., was pushed back to 3:30 p.m., then to 4, then to 5, so Nielsen could field questions at the lectern. She was at the White House around 1 p.m. doing extensive prep for the briefing and met with Trump at 3, according to a White House official. [Facing outcry over family separations, DHS chief says, ‘We will not apologize’] On Monday morning, administration officials from the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security briefed dozens of congressional aides to explain the “zero tolerance” policy in the face of mounting questions from Capitol Hill. The White House distributed more than 3,000 words of talking points to Republican allies under the headline “Congressional Democrats’ Policies Are Responsible for the Border Crisis and Family Separations.” The talking points — which included repeated false claims and said that children were being treated well, calling reports of inhumane treatment “bunk” — were largely greeted with amazement, according to senior Republican aides. Trump’s spokesmen doubled down on the president’s false contention that Democrats were to blame. The administration pointed to a 1997 legal agreement and a 2008 bipartisan anti- human-trafficking bill as requiring the separation of families. But the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations did not share that interpretation. Although Trump tweeted, “Change the laws!,” no law mandates that children be taken away from their parents after illegally crossing the border. And Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike contend that Trump could end the separations of his own accord. Nielsen defended her agency’s practice of separating migrant families and accused the media and members of Congress of mischaracterizing the administration’s border crackdown. “We will not apologize for the job we do, or the job law enforcement does, or the job the American people expect us to do,” Nielsen said in morning remarks to law enforcement officers in New Orleans. Democrats, meanwhile, have escalated their campaign to denounce the separations. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and a handful of other Democratic lawmakers visited a detention facility in San Diego. In the Senate, all 49 members of the Democratic caucus have endorsed a bill from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would explicitly bar DHS officials from taking children away from a parent at the border, absent evidence of trafficking or abuse. And Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), an outspoken critic of the administration’s immigration enforcement policies, called on Nielsen to resign, saying her false and misleading public statements in recent days are “disqualifying.” Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, said the American people should have expected the current crisis at the border because of Trump’s campaign proposals and rhetoric. “I warned about this during the debates and on the campaign trail, that Trump’s immigration policies would entail families being separated,” Clinton said in a speech Monday. “Now, as we watch with broken hearts, that’s exactly what’s happening.” Mike DeBonis, Nick Miroff and John Wagner contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| Published on Jun 18, 2018 ProPublica has obtained audio from inside a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, in which children can be heard wailing as an agent jokes, “We have an orchestra here.” Read the full story here: https://propub.li/2tcYE9M Correction: A version of this lists the wrong number. An overlay corrects it. And we're correcting it here: To reach us if you have been separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, are a worker at a detention center or aid families who have been affected, call 347-244-2134. \|\|\|\|\| The Trump Administration The 45th President and His Administration Zero Tolerance Trump’s Immigration Policy at the Border Leer en Español. The desperate sobbing of 10 Central American children, separated from their parents one day last week by immigration authorities at the border, makes for excruciating listening. Many of them sound like they’re crying so hard, they can barely breathe. They scream “Mami” and “Papá” over and over again, as if those are the only words they know. The baritone voice of a Border Patrol agent booms above the crying. “Well, we have an orchestra here,” he jokes. “What’s missing is a conductor.” Then a distraught but determined 6-year-old Salvadoran girl pleads repeatedly for someone to call her aunt. Just one call, she begs anyone who will listen. She says she’s memorized the phone number, and at one point, rattles it off to a consular representative. “My mommy says that I’ll go with my aunt,” she whimpers, “and that she’ll come to pick me up there as quickly as possible.” An audio recording obtained by ProPublica adds real-life sounds of suffering to a contentious policy debate that has so far been short on input from those with the most at stake: immigrant children. More than 2,300 of them have been separated from their parents since April, when the Trump administration launched its “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which calls for prosecuting all people who attempt to illegally enter the country and taking away the children they brought with them. More than 100 of those children are under the age of 4. The children are initially held in warehouses, tents or big box stores that have been converted into Border Patrol detention facilities. Get Our Top Investigations Subscribe to the Big Story newsletter. Condemnations of the policy have been swift and sharp, including from some of the administration’s most reliable supporters. It has united religious conservatives and immigrant rights activists, who have said that “zero tolerance” amounts to “zero humanity.” Democratic and Republican members of Congress spoke out against the administration’s enforcement efforts over the weekend. Former first lady Laura Bush called the administration’s practices “cruel” and “immoral,” and likened images of immigrant children being held in kennels to those that came out of Japanese internment camps during World War II. And the American Academy of Pediatrics has said the practice of separating children from their parents can cause the children “irreparable harm.” Still, the administration had stood by it. President Donald Trump blames Democrats and says his administration is only enforcing laws already on the books, although that’s not true. There are no laws that require children to be separated from their parents, or that call for criminal prosecutions of all undocumented border crossers. Those practices were established by the Trump administration. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has cited passages from the Bible in an attempt to establish religious justification. On Monday, he defended it again saying it was a matter of rule of law, “We cannot and will not encourage people to bring children by giving them blanket immunity from our laws.” A Border Patrol spokesman echoed that thought in a written statement. In recent days, authorities on the border have begun allowing tightly controlled tours of the facilities that are meant to put a humane face on the policy. But cameras are heavily restricted. And the children being held are not allowed to speak to journalists. The audio obtained by ProPublica breaks that silence. It was recorded last week inside a U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention facility. The person who made the recording asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation. That person gave the audio to Jennifer Harbury, a well-known civil rights attorney who has lived and worked for four decades in the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas border with Mexico. Harbury provided it to ProPublica. She said the person who recorded it was a client who “heard the children’s weeping and crying, and was devastated by it.” The person estimated that the children on the recording are between 4 and 10 years old. It appeared that they had been at the detention center for less than 24 hours, so their distress at having been separated from their parents was still raw. Consulate officials tried to comfort them with snacks and toys. But the children were inconsolable. Read More DHS Chief is Confronted With ProPublica Tape of Wailing Children Separated from Parents A reporter turned on the audio recording as Kirstjen Nielsen defended the Trump administration’s immigration policies at a White House briefing. The child who stood out the most was the 6-year-old Salvadoran girl with a phone number stuck in her head. At the end of the audio, a consular official offers to call the girl’s aunt. ProPublica dialed the number she recited in the audio, and spoke with the aunt about the call. “It was the hardest moment in my life,” she said. “Imagine getting a call from your 6-year-old niece. She’s crying and begging me to go get her. She says, ‘I promise I’ll behave, but please get me out of here. I’m all alone.’” The aunt said what made the call even more painful was that there was nothing she could do. She and her 9-year-old daughter are seeking asylum in the United States after immigrating here two years ago for the exact same reasons and on the exact same route as her sister and her niece. They are from a small town called Armenia, about an hour’s drive northwest of the Salvadoran capital, but well within reach of its crippling crime waves. She said gangs were everywhere in El Salvador: “They’re on the buses. They’re in the banks. They’re in schools. They’re in the police. There’s nowhere for normal people to feel safe.” She said her niece and sister set out for the United States over a month ago. They paid a smuggler $7,000 to guide them through Guatemala, and Mexico and across the border into the United States. Now, she said, all the risk and investment seem lost. The aunt said she worried that any attempt to intervene in her niece’s situation would put hers and her daughter’s asylum case at risk, particularly since the Trump administration overturned asylum protections for victims of gang and domestic violence. She said she’s managed to speak to her sister, who has been moved to an immigration detention facility near Port Isabel, Texas. And she keeps in touch with her niece, Alison Jimena Valencia Madrid, by telephone. Mother and daughter, however, have not been able to speak to one another. The aunt said that Alison has been moved out of the Border Patrol facility to a shelter where she has a real bed. But she said that authorities at the shelter have warned the girl that her mother, 29-year-old Cindy Madrid, might be deported without her. “I know she’s not an American citizen,” the aunt said of her niece. “But she’s a human being. She’s a child. How can they treat her this way?”	– A harrowing recording from inside a border facility has added fuel to the controversy over the immigration policies that have separated thousands of children from their families. In the recording, which ProPublica says was made last week and provided to civil rights attorney Jennifer Harbury by a whistleblower, wailing children call "Mami" and "Papi" over and over again. They're mocked by a Border Patrol agent. "Well, we have an orchestra here," he says, in Spanish. "What's missing is a conductor." Harbury says the person who made the recording "heard the children's weeping and crying and was devastated by it." She says the children are believed to be between 4 and 10 years old. In other developments: GOP backlash. Much of the condemnation of the "zero tolerance" policy responsible for the separations came from within the GOP, which fears the issue will cost it dearly in the midterms, the Washington Post reports. "It's time for this ugly and inhumane practice to end. Now," said Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, adding: "It's never acceptable to use kids as bargaining chips in political process." Sen. John McCain tweeted that the policy is an "affront to the decency of the American people, and contrary to principles and values upon which our nation was founded."
Given all the economic incentives to stay on the field, why are NFL players getting into trouble? And what else can be done to stop bad behavior? John Tlumacki / Boston Globe / Getty Images Former patriots player Aaron Hernandez is brought into Attleboro District Court in Attleboro, Mass., on June 26, 2013. The first degree murder charges against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez have shed light on a disturbing trend: since the Super Bowl in early February, 31 NFL players have been arrested, according to a database compiled by U-T San Diego. Other incidents include attempted murder charges against former Cleveland Browns rookie Ausar Walcott, after he allegedly punched a man outside a New Jersey club, and gun charges against Indianapolis Colts safety Joe Lefeged, who was arrested this past weekend after he fled police during a traffic stop. According to labor economist Stephen Bronars, the off-season arrest rate for NFL players is up 75% year-over-year. “This might be a blip that won’t last,” says Bronars. “But it’s not good.” The annualized NFL off-season arrest rate is much lower than the national arrest rate for men ages 22 to 34: 3.5% since 2003 compared to 9.9% for all men aged 22 to 34 (since 2000, NFL arrests are 36% more likely to occur in the off-season). Bronars, however, considers NFL arrests rates “surprisingly high,” given that NFL players have such short windows to earn millions of dollars. The average NFL career is about 3.5 years; the opportunity cost of suspensions, lost endorsement income, or being released because of misconduct is enormous. (MORE: The Latest In The Aaron Hernandez Investigation: Arrests, Tatoos, And Jersey Swaps) Plus, when you compare NFL players to other professionals earning, at a minimum, hundreds of thousands of dollars while working for a thriving corporate enterprise, the bad behavior seems even more out of whack. “The arrest rates do seem high relative to highly-paid workers in most companies,” says Bronars. But Bronars also notes that NFL players are, on average, significantly younger than high earners who have spent years rising up the corporate ladder. And in general, younger men are more likely to be arrested than older men. Back in 2007, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell instituted stricter punishment for player misconduct, in response to an escalating number of arrests. Is this off-season proof that this deterrent hasn’t worked? Jason Lisk of The Big Lead crunched some numbers, and found that even though off-season arrests have pretty much declined from the peak 2006 level that prompted Goodell’s measures, the longer view looks much different. From 2000 to 2006, the NFL averaged 17.7 player arrests during the off-season. From 2008 through 2013 – Lisk excluded 2007 from this calculation, since Goodell instituted the new policies halfway through that off-season — the NFL has averaged 28.5 arrests per off-season. That’s a 61% increase. Lisk notes that increased media attention on player misbehavior might contribute to the higher arrest numbers from recent years in the U-T San Diego database. In fact, the database itself makes such a disclosure. But no matter how you parse the data, if the NFL truly believes that, as spokesman Greg Aiello told USA Today Sports, “one [arrest] is too many,” the league should probably take some kind of action. But what else can the NFL do? Lisk proposes an intriguing idea: economic incentives for good conduct. “The league could look at team level awards such as cap space or consider the equivalent of compensatory picks for good offseason behavior of an organization’s players, so that there is internal peer pressure to be a good citizen,” Lisk writes. On an individual level, Lisk writes that “the league could institute a bonus pool, and like those signs at work sites that tell us how many days the site has been accident-free, the players could get recognized for being drama free. Payouts to veterans could increase over time–a good citizen bonus for years of service without incident.” Could this work? Sure, if the rewards were significant. And if any sports league could afford them, it’s the NFL. But such a policy would “have a weird element to it,” says Shane Frederick, a marketing professor at Yale University who has taught courses in behavioral economics and sports management. “You’re supposed to not get arrested,” says Frederick. “You shouldn’t be rewarded for normal behavior.” Bronars thinks Lisk’s proposals “wouldn’t hurt, but I’d be skeptical it would have much of an effect,” he says. Punishments for teams that exceed a threshold level of player arrests, Bronars says, are also worth considering. If an organization were to, say, lose draft picks or salary cap space thanks to these incidents, they may be less likely to acquire risky talent, and be more invested in keeping players out of trouble. By the NFL’s own admission — “one [arrest] is too many” — the current policies haven’t worked too well. The risks of sitting still are just too high. (MORE: Aaron Hernandez Patriots Jerseys Are Selling Big On eBay) \|\|\|\|\| Tim Tebow tried to break up Aaron Hernandez violent bar fight in 2007 Future Heisman QB Tebow tried to make peace between Hernandez, bouncer at Gainesville bar before police were called Hernandez, then a 17-year-old freshman, punched a bouncer in the head causing a broken ear drum on April 28, 2007, according to the police report. Tim Tebow tried to stop Aaron Hernandez from getting into a violent bar fight in 2007 while both were football players at the University of Florida, according to Gainesville police records. Mike Bianchi: Has Hernandez replaced Tebow as symbol of Urban Myer's Gators? When a police officer could not find Hernandez at the scene of the altercation around 1 a.m., the report states he interviewed Tebow about it. The report stated the following: A waitress at The Swamp Restaurant allegedly brought Hernandez two "alcoholic drinks," which he consumed but refused to pay for. That's when Hernandez got into a fight with a bouncer at the bar. Hernandez told police [bouncer Michael] Taphorn got in his face and began yelling at him. As Taphorn turned to walk away, Hernandez punched him in the side of the head. Taphorn declined medical treatment but the next day doctors discovered his right ear drum had burst and the injury would take four to six weeks to heal. When the officer could not find Hernandez immediately following the incident, he interviewed Tebow and Shaun Young. “Tebow stated that he witnessed the dispute,” the officer wrote. “… Tebow stated that he went over to try to help resolve the conflict.” Tebow went on to say he urged Hernandez to leave peacefully and tried to make arrangements to pay the bill. Two hours later, another officer found Hernandez and spoke with him about the incident. Tebow was present during the interview. The officer wrote Hernandez did not appear to be intoxicated and was, “very polite and professional.” Hernandez told the officer both he and Tebow had already called then-UF football coach Urban Meyer and informed him about the incident. A day later, the investigating officer told Hernandez’s attorney, Huntley Johnson, he would not be pursuing charges in connection with alcohol served to minors at the restaurant, but he wrote, “it would be noted in the report so the coaches could handle it internally.” Gainesville police recommended Hernandez be charged with a felony, but it is unclear how the case was resolved because all of Hernandez’s other juvenile records are sealed. Tebow developed a close bond with Hernandez early in his career with the Gators, hosting Hernandez during his official recruiting visit before Hernandez signed on to play for the Gators. Hernandez’s criminal history as an adult was limited to primarily traffic citations during his time in Gainesville, but more details have since emerged about his problems following rules in Gainvesille. \|\|\|\|\| Odin Lloyd's teammates arrive for Lloyd's funeral service at Church of the Holy Spirit in Boston, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Hundreds of relatives, friends and well-wishers wept together and hugged at the... (Associated Press) When Aaron Hernandez first went before a judge to face a murder charge, a defense attorney said the former New England Patriots tight end had never been accused of a violent crime. But Hernandez is apparently no stranger to violence. Since he was arrested last week in the shooting death of a friend whose body was found a mile away from Hernandez's home, a portrait has emerged of a man whose life away from the field included frequent encounters with police that started as long ago as his freshman year at the University of Florida. An acquaintance who sued Hernandez, claiming he was shot after a fight in a strip club earlier this year. A 2007 bar fight that left a restaurant worker with a burst eardrum. An unsolved double killing at a Boston nightclub last summer. All violent incidents, all with possible ties to the once-dominating athlete who now sits in a private cell for his own protection. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, whose body was found June 17 not far from Hernandez's North Attleborough, Mass., mansion. His defense team has called the case circumstantial and said Hernandez looks forward to clearing his name. But even before the 23-year-old's recent arrest, public records and interviews show he had been involved in police inquiries in the past, first in Florida and then in the Boston area. A sworn court complaint from Florida's Eighth Judicial Circuit details Hernandez's apparent involvement in an April 2007 fight at a restaurant called The Swamp in Gainesville. The partially redacted document says the restaurant worker told police that Hernandez, who was then 17, punched him in the head while he was escorting the subject out of the business after a dispute about payment of a bill. Tim Tebow, now a member of the Patriots and at the time Florida's star quarterback, is listed as a witness. The report said Hernandez asked him to intervene in the verbal dispute before the assault. The complaint classifies the offense as "felony battery." It wasn't clear Tuesday how the case was resolved. Also in 2007, Hernandez was among three Florida football players and another who had gone on to the NFL who were questioned by Gainesville police after a double shooting that happened after a Florida loss. Police said the players provided the information investigators wanted. No charges were filed. A request for comment left Tuesday evening with a spokesman for Hernandez's legal team was not immediately returned. Although Hernandez is facing a murder charge, his current legal troubles may not end there. Police in his hometown of Bristol, Conn., said Tuesday that Boston police asked for their help with a double homicide investigation linked to the former NFL star. Bristol Police Lt. Kevin Morrell said the request was based on evidence developed through the investigation of Lloyd's slaying. He said police were asked to search the same home in Bristol for both investigations, and they seized a vehicle at the address Friday. Two men died in the shooting in Boston's South End on July 15, 2012, and another was wounded. Witnesses reported seeing gunfire coming from a gray SUV with Rhode Island license plates. Authorities said 29-year-old Daniel Jorge Correia de Abreu and 28-year-old Safiro Teixeira Furtado were killed, but police didn't identify the third victim. Boston police have declined to comment on whether Hernandez is being looked as a possible suspect in that case. Hernandez has been connected to still more incidents involving guns, although none has resulted in criminal charges against him. A man who claims Hernandez shot him in the face in February after an argument at a Florida strip club filed a civil lawsuit days before police arrested Hernandez. Plaintiff Alexander Bradley claims Hernandez shot him with a handgun, causing him to lose his right eye. But after someone found the Connecticut man bleeding in an alley behind a Palm Beach County store following the sound of a gunshot, he told police he didn't know who shot him and gave only a vague description of possible assailants. Bradley's lawyer, David Jaroslawicz, wouldn't comment Tuesday about the nature of the alleged dispute between his client and Hernandez. He said the two flew to South Florida together before getting into a dispute at a Miami club. The attorney said Bradley, who worked for Stanley Steamer before the shooting, had done some work for Hernandez and that the two also hung out socially a few times and had known each other for several years. "Whether or not Hernandez shot him deliberately or accidentally only Hernandez can tell us and right now he's not doing too much talking," Jaroslawicz said in a phone interview. Authorities have also linked Hernandez to a May 18 fight outside a bar in Providence, R.I., that involved a gun. A prosecutor with the Bristol County district attorney's office has said that a man who matched the description of a man seen on video with Hernandez on the night of Lloyd's slaying was seen putting a gun under a car during the Rhode Island incident. Authorities traced that gun to a Florida gun shop. Then following Lloyd's death, police said they recovered a .22-caliber gun about a quarter-mile from the defendant's home _ a weapon authorities said was traced to the same store. ___ Associated Press writers Michael Melia in Hartford, Conn., and Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| Aaron Hernandez Domestic Incident With Fiancée In L.A. Area Aaron Hernandez -- Domestic Incident with Fiancée in L.A. Area EXCLUSIVE was involved in a domestic incident with his fiancée a year ago that sent cops racing to his rental home in a beachside community in L.A. ... TMZ has learned.Law enforcement sources tell us Hernandez was renting a place in Hermosa Beach in June, 2012, when a neighbor called police to report a domestic disturbance -- "fighting" -- between the ex-Patriots star and his fiancée,inside his home.We're told when police arrived, Jenkins said she was ok and didn't want to press charges so they left without making an arrest.Law enforcement sources also tell us ... cops came to the house several other times after neighbors made noise complaints. One source says Hernandez "acted like an a**hole" when cops responded.Our sources say Hernandez still has the rental home. Our law enforcement sources say so far ... cops have not obtained a warrant to search the apartment.	– Even before facing a murder charge, Aaron Hernandez was no stranger to violence, the AP reports. Some troubling incidents from his past: In 2007, when he was just 17 and a freshman at the University of Florida, Hernandez was allegedly involved in a bar fight. A bouncer claimed Hernandez was being escorted out after refusing to pay his bill, and punched the worker in the head, leaving him with a burst eardrum. Then-teammate and close friend Tim Tebow tried to calm Hernandez down and pay the bill before things got violent, the Orlando Sentinel reports. It's not clear how the case was resolved. The same year, Hernandez, two other Florida football players, and an NFL player were questioned in connection with a double shooting after Florida lost a game. They were reportedly cooperative, and no charges were filed. Last year, police were called to a domestic disturbance involving fighting between Hernandez and his fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, TMZ reports. Jenkins didn't want to press charges. An acquaintance filed a civil lawsuit against Hernandez days before he was arrested, claiming Hernandez shot him in the face after they argued at a Florida strip club in February. They had flown to the area together, but when the man was initially found shot in the eye, he said he didn't know who had done it. Hernandez has also been linked to a bar fight in Rhode Island in May involving a gun; that incident may also have involved the same man who was with Hernandez on the night of Lloyd's murder. And of course, there's the double murder Hernandez may have been linked to. Time points out that NFL arrests are on the rise, with 31 players arrested since the Super Bowl. A labor economist finds the increased arrest rates "surprisingly high," considering players have such a huge incentive to stay out of trouble and earn millions on the field and through endorsements. (Click to see one columnist's explanation for the trend.)
ATLANTA—United Parcel Service Inc. all year has been focused on one day above the rest: Monday Dec. 22, when it will deliver 34 million packages, more than any other in its history. It is a big test for the delivery giant after last year’s embarrassing and costly holiday debacle in which millions of packages didn’t arrive in time for Christmas. To avoid a recurrence, UPS has spent about $500 million preparing for the holidays with... \|\|\|\|\| MEMPHIS — Donner Pass, the icy stretch of road that cuts through the Sierra Nevada mountains, is 2,000 miles away from FedEx’s world hub in Memphis. But as the holiday delivery season hits its peak, dispatchers here are keeping an eagle eye on weather conditions along the pass: Any trouble could make it impenetrable for the carrier’s trucks, closing a crucial route out of California. This year, FedEx says it has strengthened its contingency planning, after shippers were summarily slammed for delivery delays last holiday season. Those contingency plans sprang into action this month, when heavy rains drenched portions of California. Acting on updates from his 15-person meteorological team, Paul Tronsor, who leads FedEx’s Global Operations Control, ordered 10 delivery trucks in the area to stand down. Dispatchers instead flew two cargo planes to Oakland to carry packages out of Northern California. That switch, Mr. Tronsor said, minimized delays. “It’s like a game of chess, where the chess pieces are the airplanes and trucks,” Mr. Tronsor said in FedEx’s control center, called the war room, waving one hand over a digital map teeming with flashing airplane icons and sweeping weather fronts. “The power lies in being able to adjust, in real time, minute by minute.” Photo FedEx, together with its bigger rival, United Parcel Service, is gearing up to avoid the chaos of last year, when a late surge in shipments and bad weather overtaxed carriers and left many homes missing timely gifts. (Some analysts have also questioned whether carriers and big retailers underestimated consumers’ increasing use of online shopping for last-minute presents.) Both carriers have hired more workers for the year’s end. UPS announced that it was hiring up to 95,000 seasonal workers, more than twice the number it employed last year. FedEx said it had hired 50,000 workers for the holidays. And both say they have invested heavily in infrastructure. UPS said it spent $500 million on upgrades ahead of the holiday season, including prefabricated mobile delivery villages that expand existing shipping centers. And FedEx said it spent almost $2 billion on newer, more fuel-efficient planes and other upgrades to its air cargo network, in addition to almost $2.5 billion it dedicated to ground shipping over the last five years. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “I think everyone’s trying to learn from the last holiday season,” said Kevon Hills, an analyst at StellaService, a data company that tracks online retail shipments. FedEx and UPS have both made improvements this year, he said, “and this season they’re pretty much neck-and-neck.” Still, the carriers face a challenge. Thanks to surging e-commerce, they expect to handle more parcels than ever this year: FedEx says it is preparing to handle about 290 million shipments between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, almost 9 percent more than last year, while UPS expects to deliver 585 million packages in December alone, 11 percent more than last year. And more retailers, eager to squeeze as much from the year-end holiday season as possible, are pushing delivery cutoff dates later into the season. For example, Pottery Barn has moved its cutoff date for Christmas gift deliveries to Monday, two days later than last year. That is despite delays with some holiday shipments last year. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Advertisement Continue reading the main story Other retailers, like Target and Walmart, are trying to relieve the pressure on their deliveries by getting more people to order online and to pick up their gifts in the stores. This year, Target is also offering a “ship-from-store” service, turning back rooms at 136 locations across the country into local distribution centers that the retailer says will allow for faster shipping than from Target.com. But over all, “retailers are all trying to get the extra sales” with last-minute deals, said Satish Jindel, president of ShipMatrix, which tracks and analyzes retail shipments. “The problem is that some retailers make delivery promises but fail to realize the toll that puts on carriers.” For UPS, one solution has been to introduce 15 temporary aluminum-walled “mobile delivery villages” across the country that expand sorting centers and will let up to 90 additional trucks load and unload packages. The company also pressed retailers early for forecasts. Its volume forecasting for this holiday season began as soon as its handlers got through last year’s chaos, a spokesman, Andy McGowan, said. “It’s all about smoothing out the seasonal spike,” he said. For FedEx, building both extra capacity and flexibility has been critical. The carrier, for example, now sends two empty cargo planes to fly across wide portions of the country, ready to head to any air hub hit with an unexpectedly large volume of shipments. This year, FedEx introduced a scanner that examines all six sides of a package at once, helping its sorting centers sift through packages more quickly and accurately. The company estimates that its systems now take less than half a second to classify a package and send it on automated conveyor belts toward its destination, and a package takes about two minutes to travel through a sorting facility, from unload to reload. FedEx’s Express service is accepting Christmas shipments through Dec. 23. The courier’s heavy investment has turned Memphis International Airport, just minutes from Elvis’s Graceland estate, into the world’s busiest air cargo hub after dark. Each night, as the final commercial passengers stream through the airport’s terminals, FedEx jets start roaring onto the tarmac. From about 10:30 p.m. to daybreak, about 160 planes land and take off, shuttling 1.8 million packages in and out of the hub through 42 miles of conveyor belts. Both a friend and foe for UPS and FedEx is Amazon, which is progressively upending how consumers shop during the holiday season. Amazon has been investing heavily in its warehouses, and it unveiled an army of squat robots called Kiva this summer to prepare goods for delivery. The online retailer, the world’s largest, is building its own sorting centers to speed deliveries, and it also introduced a one-hour delivery service in New York, steps that could eventually make Amazon a competitor to FedEx and UPS. But for now, Amazon still remains a major customer for UPS, FedEx and the United States Postal Service for its standard deliveries. Last year, Amazon reached a deal with the Postal Service to offer Sunday shipping throughout the holiday season. At the U.S.P.S., the solution is simply more work. For the first time, it is delivering packages seven days a week in major cities from mid-November through Christmas Day. The Postal Service is also expecting double-digit growth this year: more than 470 million packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, up 12 percent from last year. And for the first time, post offices mailed notices laying down the holiday shipping cutoff dates to every residential address in the United States. The cutoff, for its Priority Mail Express service, is Tuesday, Dec. 23. “Hurricanes, storms, we’ll be out there trying to get your mail delivered,” said Katina Fields, a spokeswoman for the post office. “But they just have to be mailed by those dates. Or else your loved ones aren’t going to get them for Christmas.”	– After last year's debacle left a lot of people without presents on Christmas Day, UPS and FedEx say they've spent a lot of time and money making sure there is no repeat this year. For UPS, today will be the busiest day in its history, with 34 million packages to deliver, and it has prepared for it by spending around $500 million on projects, including automated sorting systems that make it a lot easier to train temporary workers, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company hopes the changes will not only help packages arrive on time, but improve profit margins squeezed by the huge increase in online shopping, which means most of its deliveries are now single packages instead of large business orders. FedEx says it is also prepared for the huge rush of deliveries, and like other firms, it has some "weather nerds" on staff to keep deliveries on track. "It's like a game of chess, where the chess pieces are the airplanes and trucks," FedEx's chief of global operations control tells the New York Times. "The power lies in being able to adjust, in real time, minute by minute." But even with the improvements, analysts say the shipping firms will face a huge challenge dealing with the record volume of deliveries, combined with extra surges in demand caused by online retailers extending cutoff dates to boost last-minute sales.
Make room on the couch! Frequent View guest cohost Jenny McCarthy may be joining the ABC morning talk show full-time. PHOTOS: Stars' big breaks "She is in serious talks right now," an insider tells Us Weekly of the star, 40, who is currently hosting her own low-rated chatfest on VH1. "Her show isn't quite working out, so she's definitely open to it." PHOTOS: Best-dressed TV show hosts The sassy single mom would replace Joy Behar, 70, when the comedian moves on in August, reveals another source. "The cast and crew get a kick out of Jenny," adds a set source. "She's a good fit. She may not be able to carry a show, but she works well with a group ensemble." PHOTOS: Stars who were fired from jobs A third insider adds Brooke Shields, 48, is also in talks to replace Elisabeth Hasselbeck, 36, come fall. Us exclusively revealed in March that Hasselbeck will not be returning as a cohost, but she has yet to confirm the news. In addition to Behar announcing her departure from the show, Barbara Walters revealed in May that she plans to retire in summer 2014. \|\|\|\|\| UPDATED: The longtime panelist will officially depart the ABC daytime series on Wednesday, filling the chair of Gretchen Carlson on cable network's daily "Fox & Friends" this fall -- while the veteran moves to her own signature program. Elisabeth Hasselbeck is heading to Fox News Channel. Network executive vp programming Bill Shine announced Tuesday that The View panelist will depart her ABC series and make the move to cable this fall as a part of Fox & Friends. As The Hollywood Reporter previously reported, Hasselbeck's departure from The View was expected as part of a revamping that will also involve the exit of Joy Behar and the upcoming retirement of Barbara Walters. An ABC spokesperson confirmed that Hasselbeck's last day with The View will be Wednesday, July 10. PHOTOS: THR's 35 Most Powerful People in Media Walters chimed in on Hasselbeck's departure in the announcement. "We have had 10 wonderful years with Elisabeth, and she will now be swimming in new waters," said the TV news veteran. "We will miss her and wish her everything good." Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes also weighed in. "Elisabeth's warm and engaging personality made her a star on The View," said Ailes. "She has proven to be an excellent conversationalist, and I am certain she will make a great addition to our already successful morning franchise." Hasselbeck's move to Fox & Friends has her joining current co-hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade come September. Current co-host Gretchen Carlson has received her own one-hour signature daytime series in the shake-up. That will also begin in early fall. PHOTOS: Jenny McCarthy in Talks to Join 'The View' as Part of On-Camera Facelift “I am excited to further advance my career and am thrilled to have the opportunity to host my own show in daytime and look forward to showcasing my skills as an interviewer and journalist in a more in-depth manner," added Carlson, who's been with Fox & Friends since 2006. News of Hasselbeck's new job comes on the heels of Jenny McCarthy starting talks to replace Behar on The View. The loss of three panelists within the year means that the veteran daytime talker will be undergoing a substantial on-camera facelift -- something that might help curb its ratings decline. Walters had previously denied reports of Hasselbeck's exit, particularly one story that claimed polled viewers found her "too extreme and right-wing." And Hasselbeck is not the only View alum to get a new job on Tuesday. Hours before word of her move broke, NBCUniversal made official its plans to have founding View panelist Meredith Vieira helm her own syndicated talk show. "I have been a longtime fan of Fox & Friends and am excited to be joining their team in September," saidHasselbeck. "It is an honor to call the Fox News Channel my new television home."	– Another empty seat is coming up at The View: Elisabeth Hasselbeck is leaving the ABC talk show for a new gig on Fox and Friends, the network has confirmed. The departure comes as part of a shake-up that includes the exit of Joy Behar and the retirement of Barbara Walters, notes the Hollywood Reporter. Today will be Hasselbeck's last day on The View and there's no word yet on her replacement: Brooke Shields is rumored to be in the running, but former Playboy playmate and frequent guest co-host Jenny McCarthy is now in "serious talks" about joining the show, according to Us Weekly.
When two National Park Service rangers saw a car parked along the shoulder of the Blue Ridge Parkway near a man and a little girl walking down a steep embankment, they thought they were simply investigating illegal campers. Lila Pickering (GoFundMe) Minutes later, the man, Seth Pickering, began building a campfire out of underbrush, according to a criminal complaint. Unaware that the girl, Pickering’s own 6-year-old daughter, had been reported missing, one of the rangers walked toward the pair near the road in North Carolina. “It’s going fine, nothing going on,” Pickering said, according to the complaint. Then, out of nowhere, Pickering turned away and lunged at his daughter, who was standing a few feet behind him. The ranger heard a thud and a high-pitched grunt, the complaint said. The girl with curly hair fell to the ground with a knife on her chest. “Did you just stab her?” the ranger asked Pickering. As he handcuffed her father, the other ranger tried to resuscitate Lila Pickering, but to no avail. [A girl was drugged with meth, abused and killed. One of the suspects: her mother.] When asked why he killed his own daughter, the complaint states, Pickering said: “Now they will never be able to take her away from me. She’s happier now. … It’s what she wanted.” Seth Pickering. (Buncombe County Detention Center) Pickering had been in a custody fight over his daughter, who weeks earlier was temporarily placed under the care of a custodian for the Buncombe County Department of Health Services. The complaint does not say why the girl was placed under protective care, but Pickering was allowed supervised visits. On Friday, at about 5:20 p.m., Pickering was supposed to have one such visit with Lila. But, according to the complaint, he took his daughter without the custodian’s permission. “Seth, please don’t do this, they will put you in jail,” the custodian told Pickering as he was placing Lila in his vehicle, according to the complaint. Pickering shook his head and drove off. The custodian reported the girl missing to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. Less than an hour later, the rangers happened upon Pickering’s Dodge Avenger during a routine patrol. In a recorded interview with a sheriff’s detective, Pickering said he took his daughter to the parkway to go camping and was setting up a campsite when he saw the rangers, according to the complaint. Shortly after one of the rangers approached him, Pickering said his daughter made him promise “that they would never take her away from me again,” according to the complaint. “I reacted the only way I knew that she could go to sleep without having to cry, �?Daddy I want to come home, �?” Pickering told detectives. “I knew as soon as they showed up, they would take her away from me and never let me see her again.” Pickering, 36, has been charged with murder. [A 4-year-old found beaten and abused said she thought her name was �?Idiot,’ according to police] Investigators found two kitchen knife blocks in Pickering’s home in Leicester, N.C.; each block was missing one knife, according to the complaint. One set consists of knives with silver or metallic handles and a black, oval-shaped decorative peg where the handle joins the blade. The knife found on Lila’s chest matched the knives found in Pickering’s home, authorities said. Autopsy results indicate that Lila was stabbed in the heart and a lung, according to media reports. BREAKING: Medical examiner says Lila Pickering cause of death is stab wound to heart, lung https://t.co/GbbqB5FUfl pic.twitter.com/y9RH95vV8q — WLOS (@WLOS_13) September 12, 2016 Pickering’s estranged wife told the Asheville Citizen-Times that Lila was placed under protective care because her husband struck another woman. Seth Pickering moved to a duplex in Leicester about three weeks earlier and left the mobile home he’d shared with his wife, Ashley, the paper reported. Hours before her daughter’s death, Ashley Pickering said, a child protective services case worker from the county told her that her Lila “was happy and healthy and in a great home,” the Citizen-Times reported. “They were going to work on getting her back down here,” said Ashley Pickering, who now lives in Florida. But at about 2 a.m. Saturday, she got a call from a detective, who told her that her daughter had been killed and her estranged husband is the suspect, according to the paper. “What they said to me just keeps playing in my head like a broken record,” she told the Citizen-Times. Ashley Pickering said she and her husband separated because he was abusive; they’d been locked in a custody battle for more than a year. Still, she did not believe her daughter would be in danger. Seth Pickering was a loving father, she said, and his daughter adored him. “She loved her daddy so much,” Ashley Pickering told the paper. “She would jump in his lap and smile and laugh and be so happy when he was holding her.” [Ex-mayor charged in 4-year-old’s rape said girl was a willing participant, records say] Lila’s relatives have set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for the cost of bringing her body to Florida. More than $2,000 has been raised. Seth Pickering, who is being held in the Buncombe County Detention Center, appeared in county court on Monday. Public defender LeeAnn Melton, who represented him there, was not immediately available for comment Wednesday. The case has been transferred to federal court because the crime is alleged to have taken place on federal property. Pickering is scheduled to appear before a federal judge next week, according to an online docket, which does not yet list a new attorney for Pickering. On Monday, Lila’s friends brought flowers to the first-grader’s school and placed them at her desk, according to media reports. Johnston Elementary School Principal Charlotte Hipps described Lila as a “precious” and “bubbly” girl. Lila “just had a presence,” Hipps told the Citizen-Times. “She was a very happy-go-lucky little girl, despite the circumstances in her life. It doesn’t seem to ever get her down.” Her classmates also made cards for her. “I hope you have a good time in heaven,” one student wrote. Here's a card to Lila from one of the students @WLOS_13 pic.twitter.com/aWGXxka8xd — Justin Hinton (@JustinWLOS) September 12, 2016 READ MORE: �?I shot dad’: The tragic case of a child who killed his abusive, neo-Nazi father A girl was found dead in a landfill 49 years ago. She has finally been identified. Toddler who died a �?painful, horrible death’ may have been placed in a freezer, officials say \|\|\|\|\| Lila Marie Pickering, 6, was killed along the Blue Ridge Parkway, according to law officers. Her father is charged with first-degree murder. (Photo: Courtesy Ashley Pickering) ASHEVILLE – Hours before her 6-year-old daughter was killed, Ashley Pickering said she chatted with a Buncombe County child protective services worker, who assured her the bubbly first-grader was doing well. “I just spoke with her case worker yesterday (Friday) and she said she was happy and healthy and in a great home, and they were going to work on getting her back down here,” Pickering said from her Florida home. But after nightfall, in an hour when a ringing phone rarely brings pleasant news, another Buncombe County official contacted Pickering. “A detective called at 2 in the morning and asked if I was Ashley Pickering, wife of Seth Willis Pickering, mother of Lila Marie Pickering, and I said, ‘Yes,’” she remembered. “They said, ‘It is with heavy hearts we regret to inform you that your daughter’s deceased and Seth’s been arrested for first-degree murder.’” “What they said to me just keeps playing in my head like a broken record.” Seth Pickering, 36, of Leicester. (Photo: Courtesy of Buncombe County Sheriff's Office) Seth Pickering, 36, of Leicester, was arrested by Buncombe County sheriff’s deputies along a well-traveled section of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Brevard Road at about 7 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest report. About an hour earlier, deputies learned Lila had been taken by her father, and were in the process documenting the case to trigger an Amber Alert, said Capt. John Elkins of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. “We had a deputy at a home in west Buncombe County after we received a report that the father had taken the child without permission,” Elkins said. “As the deputy was there, we learned of the homicide.” Investigators located Pickering by happenstance, Elkins said. A pair of rangers noticed a vehicle pulled off along the Parkway outside of designated parking at about 5:45 p.m. and stopped to investigate. There, they found Pickering and his daughter, who was deceased. The death occurred in the boundaries of the Blue Ridge Parkway and is expected to be transferred to the federal courts next week. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation are leading the case. Shelley Lynch, FBI spokeswoman, declined to release further details about the homicide, including how the girl was killed. Protective services Public records indicate Seth Pickering had recently lived in Brevard County, Florida, but according to his estranged wife, he brought his daughter to Buncombe County last year, beginning a custody dispute. “My husband and I separated because he was abusive, and we were working on getting her back down here,” Ashley Pickering said. “She was in protective custody. I don’t know how he got her near her. It’s been one nightmare after another after another. For 15 months, we’ve been fighting this.” Lila had recently been placed in another home after Pickering had a violent dispute with another person, according to Ashley Pickering. But despite the conflict, she said she never believed Lila was in danger. “He was the most loving father and Lila worshipped the ground he walked on. She loved her daddy so much,” Ashley Pickering said. “She would jump in his lap and smile and laugh and be so happy when he was holding her.” Seth Pickering had moved into this Leicester duplex where he lived alone, said a neighbor who declined to be named. (Photo: Tonya Maxwell/tmaxwell@citizen-times.com) Officials with the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services, which includes Child Protective Services, did not immediately answer questions about the case. The death occurred near mile marker 393 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Lynch said. That tree-lined section lies just east of the French Broad River and the Parkway’s intersection with Brevard Road. It is often used as a shortcut by residents looking to dodge traffic congestion on major thoroughfares. Officials closed the Parkway between Brevard and Hendersonville roads as investigators collected evidence and processed the crime scene through the early hours of Saturday morning. Rangers with the Blue Ridge Parkway were also assisting with the investigation, said Leesa Brandon, spokeswoman for the agency. Earlier this year, Parkway rangers investigated a sexual assault near the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Craggy Gardens area, a popular tourist draw. A woman hiking alone was found tied to a tree. She was treated and released. That May 12 attack was the only recorded assault of a Parkway visitor along the 469-mile drive in the last five years, Brandon said at that time. The incidents are unrelated, Brandon said. ‘Miracle child’ At Johnston Elementary, students will have access to crisis counselors as the school week begins, officials there said. “While many questions have yet to be answered, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the heartbreaking loss of this wonderful little girl, Lila Pickering” Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Baldwin said in a statement. “We will have crisis support teams on hand Monday morning at Johnston Elementary School to help students, teachers, and staff come to grips with this senseless tragedy. They will remain for as long as they are needed.” Federal and local law enforcement officers were investigating a homicide Sept. 9 near mile marker 393 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Photo: Tonya Maxwell/tmaxwell@citizen-times.com) Lila, born in Orlando, was less than a month shy of turning 7. The outgoing girl wanted to become a veterinarian, her mother remembered through tears. “She would go up and talk to anybody. We used to call her Rescue Ranger, because if somebody falls or something like that on the playground, she would want to go over and help them right away,” Pickering said. Pickering said she suffers from a disorder of the connective tissues, one that makes carrying a child to full term in pregnancy unlikely and dangerous, but Lila defied odds. “I had her and she was perfect. She was happy and healthy. She had no medical problems. She was absolutely beautiful,” she said. “She is absolutely beautiful.” Read or Share this story: http://avlne.ws/2cOdE87 \|\|\|\|\| Seth Willis Pickering, 36, appears with LeeAnn Melton, Buncombe County public defender on Sept. 12, 2016. Pickering is charged first-degree murder in the death of his 6-year-old daughter, Lila Pickering. (Photo: Tonya Maxwell/tmaxwell@citizen-times.com) ASHEVILLE – Two Blue Ridge Parkway rangers, expecting to investigate an illegal campsite, instead watched as a father plunged a knife in the chest of his 6-year-old daughter, according to federal documents released Tuesday. Stabbed in the heart, Lila Pickering did not survive the attack Friday night despite immediate attempts to save her. Her father, Seth Willis Pickering, 36, of Leicester, faces a federal murder charge in the death of the first-grader. After Pickering was arrested and taken to the Buncombe County jail, he told a detective that his daughter feared being taken from him, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday in the U.S district court in Western North Carolina. “Ten minutes before [the ranger] got there, my daughter made me promise that they would never take her away from me again. I reacted the only way I knew that she could go to sleep without having to cry, ‘Daddy, I want to come home,’” Pickering told Walt Thrower, a sheriff’s detective. “I knew as soon as they showed up, they would take her away from me and never let me see her again.” The eight-page document, written by Agent James A. Anderson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, offers new details on the events of Sept. 9. About 5:20 p.m., Pickering took Lila from a home where she had lived for a month, placed there by the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services. About 90 minutes later, the curly-headed girl with the bright smile was dead. Social workers had placed Lila in the temporary custody of caretakers who live near Johnston Elementary, where the girl went to school. Pickering had rights to supervised visitation, but the federal complaint does not note why she needed protective care. The caregivers have declined to comment, but Pickering’s estranged wife, Ashley Pickering, said Lila was placed in that home after her husband struck another woman. The federal complaint does not note if Lila and her father knew the temporary caregivers, though Seth Pickering was allowed to have supervised visits. He arrived at the home early Friday evening, but put his daughter in his gold Dodge Avenger, against the wishes of the custodian. “Seth, please don’t do this, they will put you in jail,” the caregiver said, according to the complaint. In response, Pickering shook his head, got in his car, and drove off. Lila’s custodians called the Buncombe County sheriff’s department at 5:43 p.m., and a deputy responded to gather information for an Amber Alert, which would notify law officers and the public to look out for the missing child. It would never be issued. ‘It’s going fine’ About 15 minutes after that call, Rangers Brian Ruh and Cody Marsh with the National Park Service noticed a Dodge Avenger in a grassy area near mile marker 393 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The area is a well-traveled cut-through for locals, and lies east of Brevard Road, but has no designated parking or pull-offs as many other sections of the tree-lined road do. Down a steep embankment, one without trails or legal campsites, they watched Pickering carry a large cooler, Lila at his side. The father cut underbrush and made a fire, and at about 6:50 p.m., the rangers approached, unaware that Lila was a missing child. Marsh heard Pickering loudly say, “Don’t worry honey, we will when the cops leave,” and the ranger knew they had been seen. He stopped about 25 feet from Pickering, identified himself and offered, “How’s it going tonight?” Pickering responded casually: “It’s going fine, nothing going on,” his hands at this sides, apparently empty. And then, what rangers thought was an illegal campfire became a homicide investigation. “Without warning,” according to the complaint, “Ranger Marsh observed Pickering turn away from the rangers and make a lunging movement toward Lila who was standing a few feet behind him. Ranger Marsh heard an audible “thud-like” noise and a brief high-pitched wince or grunt sound coming from Lila, who then fell to the ground.” Pickering turned and raised his hands. “DID YOU JUST STAB HER?” Marsh shouted. In the complaint, to emphasize the apparent shock of the ranger, those five words are written in capital letters. Marsh and Ruh saw the girl lying with a knife protruding from her chest, drew their guns. Marsh handcuffed the father. Ruh tried to resuscitate a child with a blade piercing her heart. She was declared dead at the scene. Later, Marsh asked Pickering why he killed Lila. “Now they will never be able to take her away from me,” he told the rangers, according to the complaint. He added something like, “She’s happier now…it’s what she wanted.” A matching knife Pickering and his wife were amid a bitter split, according to Buncombe County court documents. In 2015, he applied for and later won a restraining order against Ashley Pickering after alleging she threatened both him and the child. Those allegations are untrue, said Ashley Pickering. She moved to Florida and said she had since been fighting to bring Lila to the state. But she also credited Pickering with being a doting father with a daughter who idolized him. Pickering was charged with first-degree murder by Buncombe County deputies, and that charge will remain in place for the time being, said Todd Williams, district attorney for the county. “In deference to the pending federal procedures, such as a possible federal grand jury indictment, we are going to leave the charge in place until those procedures move forward,” Williams said. In an affidavit of indigency, used to determine if he is eligible for a court-appointed lawyer, Pickering indicated he is unemployed and lives on a monthly income of $700, including food stamps and a disability payment. Buncombe County Public Defender LeeAnn Melton, who represented Pickering in a Monday first court appearance, declined to comment Tuesday. Pickering served in the military from June 1999 until March 2002, according to Department of Defense records. People familiar with his service said he is a veteran of the Army. The records do not specify the nature of his discharge, be it honorable, medical or otherwise. He had moved to a Leicester duplex about three weeks ago, leaving the mobile home he and his wife had shared, located about 3.5 miles away. A neighbor of the duplex who declined to be named said Pickering often spoke of his child, though she was never around. Inside that home, Buncombe County deputies found a block of kitchen knives, the handles silver and black, with a black oval-shaped peg near the joint between handle and blade. One of the knives was missing. On Monday, a medical examiner performed an autopsy on the child. A knife with a silver and black handle, decorated with an oval-shaped peg, was pulled from her body. It matched the set in the Leicester duplex exactly. Read or Share this story: http://avlne.ws/2cXbHXj \|\|\|\|\| UPDATED: The medical examiner's officer said Monday that the preliminary autopsy indicates the cause of death for Lila Pickering is a stab wound to the heart and left lung. BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. -- A Buncombe County man accused of killing his 6-year-old daughter made his first court appearance Monday. Thirty-six-year-old Seth Pickering of Leicester, Lila Pickering's father, has been charged with first-degree murder in the case. At the arraignment, the judge set Pickering's next court date for October 3, 2016. The judge said Pickering will get a public defender likely experienced with capital cases. Documents News 13 obtained show a strained relationship between a husband and wife. Seth Pickering filed for a protective order in Buncombe County, claiming domestic violence carried out by his wife, Ashley. She moved to Hernando County, Florida a short time later and countered with her own complaint, seeking custody of Lila. A neighbor told News 13 that during the time all three lived on Tre Lane, there were problems and visits by police. "She was a lively little girl who loved animals and the outdoors," said Cindy Dabill, Lila's grandmother. Lila Pickering was a first-grader at Johnston Elementary. Her mother said Lila wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. Lila's mother lives in Florida after leaving Seth Pickering a year and a half ago, she said. "I went to leave and a cop was supposed to send Lila with me, and he didn't, and I've been fighting with the courts and DSS," Ashley Pickering, Lila's mother, said. A neighbor was stunned after replaying Pickering's actions in the final hours before his daughter was found. "You can hear when someone goes to the trash, so I know that's where he went and I saw the stuffed animal. When you leave, you'll see the stuffed animal on the ground. I just assumed he was throwing some of his daughter's toys away," said Mechelle Stephens. "If he has done something against a child or juvenile, may god have mercy on his soul." Captain John Elkins with the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office said that just hours after this, park rangers noticed a vehicle parked on the Parkway, not in a pull-off area. They got out to investigate and found Lila. "It tears me apart," said Lila's grandmother and Ashley's mother, Cindy Dabill. "There's not one thing I can say or do that's gonna help." For several hours the investigation focused on the area near mile marker 393, between Hendersonville Road and the Brevard Road Bridge. Investigators say Lila's body was discovered along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and that her father was immediately arrested at the scene. Elkins said that Lila Pickering was still alive prior to 5:45 p.m. on Friday. Authorities have not year released how she died. Her autopsy is scheduled for Monday. “While many questions have yet to be answered, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the heartbreaking loss of this wonderful little girl, Lila Pickering” said Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Baldwin. “We will have crisis support teams on hand Monday morning at Johnston Elementary School to help students, teachers, and staff come to grips with this senseless tragedy. They will remain for as long as they are needed.” Flowers, cards and a balloon covered the first grader's desk inside Johnston Elementary. Principal Charlotte Hipps says she was a happy, go-lucky child. “Just a very well-behaved, sweet child and everyone who knew her would love her," she said. “Having to call my teachers was the hardest thing I’ve ever done." She said the school has received a lot of support from the community to help them through this difficult time including crisis counselors to help with the kids struggling, particularly the younger ones. “They may be confused later on and expect that she’ll be coming back to class, so we try to work with that child where they are,” said Ann-Marie McBride a school social worker for Buncombe County Schools. Seth Pickering is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Center. He is set to make his first court appearance in the case on Monday. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with funeral arrangements.	– "It's what she wanted." That's how police say Seth Pickering justified allegedly killing his own 6-year-old daughter in front of park rangers in North Carolina on Friday. Two National Park Service rangers saw Pickering, 36, building a campfire with his daughter, Lila, off the Blue Ridge Parkway around 6:50pm and approached to investigate. "Nothing going on," Pickering said, according to a police complaint, per the Washington Post. Then, suddenly, he lunged at his daughter, who fell to the ground with a knife in her chest, police say. "Now they will never be able to take her away from me," Pickering allegedly told a ranger. "She's happier now … It's what she wanted." Lila, whose heart and lung were pierced, died at the scene, reports WLOS. About 90 minutes earlier, Pickering had taken Lila without permission during a supervised visit with temporary caregivers she was living with amid a custody battle, police say. Pickering's estranged wife, who lives in Florida, says Lila had been placed in the home because Pickering hit another woman, but she never expected him to hurt their daughter, per the Asheville Citizen-Times. Police say Pickering told detectives Lila "made me promise that they would never take her away from me again … I knew as soon as [the rangers] showed up, they would take her away from me." Officers say the knife in Lila's chest matched one missing from a knife block in Pickering's home, per the Citizen-Times. He's now charged with murder.
A filmmaker has gone into hiding after his movie attacking Islam's Prophet Muhammad sparked assaults on U.S. missions in Egypt and Libya, where an American State Department officer was killed. Writer and director Sam Bacile spoke on the phone Tuesday from an unidentified location. He remained defiant, saying Islam is "a cancer" and he wanted his film to make a political statement. The 56-year-old identifies himself as an Israeli Jew and says he believes his video will help his native land by exposing Islam's flaws to the world. Excerpts dubbed into Arabic were posted on YouTube. Among other claims that have caused outrage, the film claims Muhammad was a philanderer who approved of child sexual abuse. Bacile says he's sorry for the person who died, but blames lax embassy security. \|\|\|\|\| Read this story in Arabic. Cairo (CNN) -- The United States said it was taking measures to protect its citizens worldwide after protesters angry about an online film considered offensive to Islam attacked U.S. diplomatic compounds in Libya and Egypt on Tuesday, killing an American. In Cairo, several men scaled the walls of the U.S. Embassy and tore down its American flag, according to CNN producer Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, who was on the scene. In Libya, witnesses say members of a radical Islamist group called Ansar al-Sharia protested near the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, where NATO jets established no-fly zones last year to blunt ground attacks from then Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. The group then clashed with security forces in the city, blocking roads leading to the consulate, witnesses said. A U.S. State Department officer was killed in the violence in Benghazi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement late Tuesday. "We are heartbroken by this terrible loss," Clinton said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and those who have suffered in this attack." Clinton said that she condemned the attack on the U.S. facilities "in the strongest terms" and that following Tuesday's events, the U.S. government was "working with partner countries around the world to protect our personnel, our missions and American citizens worldwide." Libya's General National Congress also condemned the attack, saying it "led to the regrettable injury and death of a number of individuals." Lawmakers said in a statement Tuesday night that they were investigating. It was unclear whether the two attacks were coordinated, CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend said Tuesday night. "One such breach of an embassy or consulate's walls or security on any given day would be tremendous news. ... The fact that two of them happened on the same day that is the 9/11 anniversary where Americans are remembering those that we lost, you have to ask yourself, what are American officials trying to understand about this and whether or not these two are related?" she asked. In Egypt, police and army personnel formed defensive lines around the U.S. Embassy in an effort to prevent demonstrators from advancing, but not before the protesters affixed a black flag atop a ladder in the American compound. The black flag, which hangs in full view from inside the complex, is adorned with white characters that read, "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger," an emblem often used by Islamic radicals. A volley of warning shots were fired, as a large crowd gathered around the compound, although it is not clear who fired the shots. Are you there? Share your images and videos. Egyptian groups point to U.S. websites, including YouTube, that have scenes from the film. Some anti-Muslim blogs also have flagged the movie. In a series of disjointed scenes, the film depicts Prophet Mohammed as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer. The movie was made by Sam Bacile, an Israeli-American real-estate developer, according to the Wall Street Journal. Bacile -- who wrote, directed and produced the film -- said he wanted to showcase his view of Islam as a hateful religion, the Journal reported, citing a telephone interview with him. Bacile, 52, told the newspaper that to make the film, he had raised $5 million from about 100 Jewish donors, who he declined to identify. He said he made the two-hour movie over a three-month period last year in California, using about 60 actors and 45 crew members, the Journal reported. Most of the Muslim world considers depictions of Mohammed to be blasphemous and deeply offensive. "Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," Clinton said. "The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation." But she stressed that "there is never any justification for violent acts of this kind." Embassy officials issued a warning to Americans in Egypt, telling them to avoid the demonstrations which "may gather in front of the U.S. Embassy, or Egyptian government buildings such as the People's Assembly and Ministry of Interior." "It is unclear if large numbers will take to the streets, but clashes may occur should two opposing groups come into contact with one another," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. "Large gatherings and non-essential travel in and around downtown and Garden City should be avoided this afternoon." Frenzied protesters could been seen Tuesday afternoon holding up bits of a shredded American flag to television camera crews while chanting anti-U.S. slogans. An embassy phone operator told CNN that the compound had been cleared of diplomatic personnel earlier in the day ahead of the apparent threat, while Egyptian riot police and the army were called in. "This is an expression of a feeling that is thought to be an insult," said Nizih El Naggary, a spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. "But events like this are extremely deplorable. And we have to work to get things under control." The Foreign Ministry issued a statement Tuesday, pledging to protect embassies and warning of the protests' potentially debilitating effects on the Egyptian economy. "There are police forces at the demonstrations," El Naggary said. "They should be protecting the embassy and asking people to leave." Several individuals claimed responsibility for organizing the demonstrations Tuesday, including Salafist leader Wesam Abdel-Wareth, who is president of Egypt's conservative Hekma television channel. Mohamed al-Zawahiri -- the brother of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri -- added, "We called for the peaceful protest joined by different Islamic factions including the Islamicc Jihad (and the) Hazem Abu Ismael movement." "We were surprised to see the big numbers show up, including the soccer Ultra fans," he said. "I just want to say, how would the Americans feel if films insulting leading Christian figures like the pope or historical figures like Abraham Lincoln were produced?" He added that "the film portrays the prophet in a very ugly manner, alluding to topics like sex, which is not acceptable." The U.S. Embassy in Cairo announced that it had canceled visa services for Wednesday. It also said in a statement that it "condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims -- as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions." "Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy," the statement said. "We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others." The embassy statement set off a political spat back in the United States after the Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, criticized its message and linked it to his opponent for the White House. "It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks," Romney said in a statement released late Tuesday. He said he was "outraged" by the attacks in Libya and Egypt. The Obama campaign quickly responded to Romney's comments. "We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack," Ben LaBolt, an Obama campaign spokesman said in an email. Demonstrations elicited a mixture of reactions from the Egyptian street, where last year tens of thousands turned out in opposition to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. This summer, Egypt's first Islamist president, Mohamed Morsy, was sworn into power at Tahrir Square, the scene of the nation's revolution in 2011. Though Tuesday's embassy protests are the first that Morsy has dealt with, Egypt recently produced similar scenarios when protesters attacked the Israeli and Syrian embassies in unrelated episodes. "These protests are a bad image for Egypt," said a Cairo street vendor named Ahmed. "Of course I'm against insulting Islam, but it's the undereducated, poor people who are out here causing problems." "All I want for Egypt is security and stability," he said. "And as you can see this isn't it." The incident occurred on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks as crowds gathered across the United States in somber remembrance of a day that left nearly 3,000 people dead. Tuesday's focus on the controversial film also drew comparisons to outcry generated from a 2008 movie produced by an anti-Muslim Dutch lawmaker to portray Islam as a violent religion. Geert Wilders' film "Fitna," which he released online, featured images of terrorist acts superimposed over verses from the Quran. Report: Egypt's ex-PM Ahmed Shafik faces arrest, extradition order Egypt kills militants, seizes weapons in Sinai offensive U.S. companies eye Egypt for investment CNN's Ian Lee in Cairo, Jomana Karadsheh, Matt Smith, Brian Walker, Elise Labott, Paul Cruickshank and Tracy Doueiry contributed to this report	– Moving quickly to make a political point following yesterday's attacks on the US diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya, Mitt Romney called an early US statement "disgraceful" for "sympathizing" with protesters. A statement released in Cairo shortly after angry demonstrators began to gather at the embassies referred to an anti-Muslim film posted online that triggered the protests, and said that the US condemns "the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims." The statement was posted hours before an American State Department officer was shot to death as suspected members of the radical Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia torched and looted the US consulate in Benghazi. "It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks," said Romney. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a statement released about the same time as Romney's, condemned the attack in Libya "in the strongest terms." Some have "sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," Clinton said. "The US deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind." The White House condemned Romney for launching a political attack in the wake of tragedy. Americans worldwide are being warned by the State Department to take extra precautions in the wake of the violence, reports CNN. The filmmaker of the controversial anti-Islam movie, 56-year-old Israeli Sam Bacile, is in hiding, AP reports. The film reportedly depicts the Prophet Mohammed as a child molester, womanizer, and killer.
Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more \|\|\|\|\| Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, lands at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Associated Press) Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, lands at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Associated Press) Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, lands at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Associated Press) Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, lands at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Taking a swing at Hillary Clinton, President Donald Trump retweeted a mock video that shows him smacking a golf ball that — in the next frame — seemingly strikes her in the back before she stumbles and falls down while boarding a plane. It's the latest sign that Trump's campaign fury hasn't faded. Trump retweeted the brief video on his official Twitter account Sunday. It appears to be a doctored version of news footage from 2011 that shows the then-secretary of state falling after climbing the airplane stairs. The re-edited video appears to have superimposed images of a golf ball that is shown hitting Clinton. The tweet says, "Donald Trump's amazing golf swing #CrookedHillary." A Clinton spokesman declined comment. The White House issued no immediate comment, and Trump aides have said in the past that his tweets "speak for themselves." The assessment from Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.: "juvenile." Back in July, Trump vented his rage against the media by posting someone else's doctored anti-CNN video that showed Trump pummeling a man in a business suit — the man's face obscured by the CNN logo — outside a wrestling ring. Trump has stepped up his criticism of Clinton since the Democratic presidential nominee re-emerged in the spotlight to promote her new book about the 2016 campaign. She is unsparing in her assessment of Trump, calling him "a clear and present danger to the country and the world." The 2016 election is a source of major pride for Trump, who often cites his electoral vote victory as evidence of campaign prowess and popularity with Americans. He is quick to challenge or criticize anything that undercuts that premise. Trump has established a commission to investigate his unsubstantiated claims that millions of people voted illegally in 2016, when Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes. "It is distressing though to have a president that, frankly, will tweet and retweet things as juvenile as that," Schiff said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday. "It doesn't help, I think, in terms of his stature. It doesn't help in terms of the stature of our whole country." Clinton's book assigns blame for her presidential loss on several factors, including interference from Russian hackers, accusations leveled at her by former FBI Director James Comey and even her gender. The White House has criticized the book, with spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders calling it "sad" that the last chapter of Clinton's public life will be defined by selling books with "false and reckless attacks." In a pair of tweets last week, Trump took direct aim at Clinton. "Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction!" Trump wrote. Referring to Clinton's past description of some Trump supporters, he later tweeted: "The 'deplorables' came back to haunt Hillary. They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game!" ___ Follow Hope Yen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hopeyen1 \|\|\|\|\| It’s not the first time one of the president’s tweets has made light of violence. Last month he retweeted an image of a train running over a cartoon person with a CNN logo over its head. A White House official said at the time that the tweet had been posted inadvertently, and the image was deleted. In July, Mr. Trump posted a video of him body slamming a man with a CNN logo superimposed over his head. The post with the golfing GIF on Sunday was just one of several eclectic tweets that Mr. Trump sent, hours before his trip to New York, where he will address global leaders. In one, he referred to a conversation with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. “Asked him how Rocket Man is doing,” Mr. Trump wrote. Soon, “Rocket Man,” an apparent allusion to Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, was trending on Twitter. \|\|\|\|\| Insults since Mr. Trump became president are highlighted in yellow; the most recent updates are shaded purple. (This list covers tweets since Mr. Trump declared his candidacy.) Alphabetical Chronological	– Taking a swing at Hillary Clinton, President Trump retweeted a mock video that shows him smacking a golf ball that seemingly strikes her in the back before she stumbles and falls while boarding a plane. Trump retweeted the brief video on Sunday, the AP reports. The assessment from Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff: "juvenile." It is "distressing" to "have a president that, frankly, will tweet and retweet things as juvenile as that," Schiff said on ABC's This Week on Sunday. "It doesn't help, I think, in terms of his stature." A Clinton spokesman declined comment. The White House issued no comment, and Trump aides have said in the past that his tweets "speak for themselves." The New York Times, which notes "Twitter is fertile ground for insults" and "the president's contributions have been numerous," has an interactive outlining his favorite targets.
When 200 of CGI Federal’s top managers gathered at the luxurious Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in southwestern Pennsylvania on a brisk day in early November 2009, they found time for business -- and high jinks. During the two-day event, managers presented PowerPoint slides celebrating the phenomenal success of CGI Federal, a major technology contractor, in winning lucrative government contracts. Most attendees stayed in the resort’s Chateau Lafayette hotel, a replica of the Ritz-Carlton in Paris, and at a formal dinner under the elaborate chandelier in the ballroom, George D. Schindler, the president of CGI Federal, spoke of the company’s big profits that year and its bright future. The fun came during a team-building exercise following a boozy lunch in conference rooms not far from the hotel’s Lady Luck casino. Managers were split off into small groups and asked to solve math-laden riddles. For each correct answer, they received a bicycle part. The goal was for the teams, around 20 or so, to assemble children’s pink and blue bicycles, then race their tasseled bikes up and down the carpeted corridors of the hotel. “People were riding these bikes drunk through the hallways of the resort,” recalls one former manager who attended the event, while others were “duck-walking” the children’s bikes, which were too small for most adults to sit on. Amid “a lot of hooting and hollering,” the manager recalls, the hotel staff was laughing. “Some people were bombed out of their minds until 2 a.m. It was greed and opulence, and it was on the taxpayers’ dime.” He was wrong about one thing: taxpayers didn’t pay directly for the event for CGI Federal, the American arm of Montreal-based CGI Group that is known these days as the main company behind the glitch-plagued Healthcare.gov website, the engine of President Barack Obama’s health care law. Through a lucrative government contract, CGI Federal is the principal contractor assigned the daunting job of building the federal online insurance marketplace -- a large, complex website intended to help millions of ordinary Americans obtain health insurance that instead has become a byword for technological failure. American taxpayers are among the main drivers of earnings at CGI, whose stock market value is $11.6 billion. For its recently-ended fourth quarter, the company’s revenue grew nearly 53 percent, to $2.38 billion. That put its total revenue for its fiscal 2013, which ended in September, at more than $9.8 billion, with nearly $442 million in profits. CGI Federal and its parent company, CGI, do behind-the-scenes work, often with “Top Secret” clearance, for hundreds of American and foreign government agencies -- from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and State Department to the Kyrgyzstan Border Service and World Anti-Doping Agency. But the questions swirling around the company go beyond how it mangled the showpiece reform of Obama’s presidency. Some investors and analysts are expressing concerns about potentially aggressive bookkeeping, weak disclosure practices and corporate governance issues. See all of the best photos of the week in these slideshows In recent months, Deutsche Bank and at least one hedge fund, 683 Capital Management in New York, have been asking if the company is double-counting revenues. Mike Yerashotis, an analyst at Veritas Investment Research, an independent equity research firm in Toronto, writes in recent research notes that investors should have a “healthy degree of scepticism” about CGI’s earnings. Yerashotis, a chartered financial analyst, cites a “red flag” around complex accounting issues, including deferred revenues, contract losses and work in progress. Other issues predate the Obamacare debacle. In November 2011, a whistle-blower sued the company, claiming that an internal CGI Federal “Rat Pack” planned a “shell-company scheme” designed to get around U.S. Housing and Urban Development restrictions on subcontractors processing federally subsidized low-income housing payments -- effectively defrauding the U.S. government. In an 2010 email, a CGI manager drolly dubbed the scheme the “flying nun,” a reference to the 1960s television sitcom featuring actress Sally Field as a nun with a shady past. CGI Federal manages more than 25 percent of the nation’s Section 8 low-income apartments and houses, earning some $50 million a year from the business. “Wheeling ’n Dealin’” CGI had humble beginnings, and those early years provide some clues as to how CGI Federal ended up getting ripped in headlines for the Obamacare flop. Established by Serge Godin, now the company’s executive board chairman, in Quebec City in 1976, CGI began with small local projects, including a contract for data-processing at an Alcan aluminum smelter in Godin’s French-speaking hometown of Saguenay, a town of nearly 144,000 residents 285 miles north of Montreal. The nascent field of information technology was on the verge of booming, and Godin jumped in, expanding CGI’s workforce, gobbling up smaller Canadian technology companies and landing contracts with Bell Canada, the National Bank of Canada and Quebec’s pension plan. But Godin, who grew up one of nine children and now owns a champion harness-racing horse named ‘Wheeling ’n Dealin’, had bigger plans. He had long dreamed of jumping the border to get into the lucrative U.S. market. In 2004, after decades of smaller acquisitions of Canadian companies, he got his chance: CGI snapped up a faltering Fairfax, Va.-based technology and consulting company called American Management Systems for $858 million in cash. AMS, eventually renamed CGI Federal, was founded by five former Defense Department officials who had worked under Defense Secretary Robert McNamara during Kennedy and Johnson. The deal was a turning point for CGI, doubling its size in the United States overnight. More importantly, it gave CGI -- until then generally locked out of bidding on U.S. federal contracts due to U.S. restrictions on foreign contractors -- a valuable U.S. subsidiary it could use to court American agencies for business. CGI, whose initials stand for Conseiller en Gestion et Informatique, began using the phrase “Consultants to Government and Industry” in corporate materials. Riding its self-described “buy and build” strategy -- and determined not to be a Salieri to the Mozart of Accenture -- CGI Group in 2010 bought Stanley Associates, an Arlington, Va.-based contractor to the nation’s defense and intelligence agencies. The $1 billion deal doubled again CGI’s U.S. operations and made Godin, who owns some 31 million shares in the company, including a majority of CGI’s voting stock, a billionaire, according to securities filings. Still, there was a divide between Montreal-based CGI Group and its fast-growing U.S. subsidiary CGI Federal, as the parent company’s “hand’s off” approach largely left the growing U.S. subsidiaries to their own devices. “Montreal wasn’t really involved in Federal’s business,” says a former executive. Godin stepped down as chief executive of CGI Group in 2006, handing the day-to-day responsibilities to Michael E. Roach, but he still wields enormous power over the company, according to current and former insiders. Former executives say the company still very much reflects his unusual management philosophy. CGI has a slim policy manual and relatively little in-house training for its staff -- unusual for a company that now has 69,000 employees across 400 worldwide offices. Under a “make your own job” ethos, CGI Group generally does not give employees job descriptions or job titles; instead, it lumps their skills into a database and requires them to find their own projects within the company. As part of that “manage yourself” mandate, CGI doesn’t even track sick days, and its three-week “bench policy” requires an employee to find a new project in that time-frame or risk being fired. Most employees are identified as “consultants,” and are compensated through profit-sharing plans. All that traces back to Godin’s favorite saying: “Nobody ever washes a rental car” -- if you own it, you will take care of it. “Everyone is kind of self-employed,” says Gordon Divitt, a senior executive consultant at CGI in 2007 who was chief information officer at Interac, a Canadian ATM company for which CGI ran technological plumbing. “You’ve got to manage yourself, which is very unusual at a company this size.” Godin, he says, espoused “a philosophical approach, rather than a traditional hierarchical approach.” Many big corporations have “mission statements,” essentially feel-good boilerplate outlining their raison d’etre. CGI has a “Constitution,” with “chapters” laying out “Fundamental Texts.” The unusual manifesto-style document, available on CGI’s website and referenced in securities filings, extols what the company has long called “The CGI Dream: ...to create an environment in which we enjoy working together and, as owners, contribute to building a company we can be proud of.” “Serge believes CGI is truly unique,” says a person close to Godin. Despite its atypical management philosophy, CGI Federal sought to cultivate a more mainstream image, in line with that of competitors like Accenture, Cap Gemini and IBM’s government-contracting division. CGI Federal staffed up on former government managers and executives from the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies. In 2008, it created the CGI Institute for Collaborative Government -- a think-tank with policy specialists at George Mason University, Johns Hopkins University and Virginia Tech. The institute reflects CGI’s growing vision of itself as being embedded in the government agencies it serves. Mark Abrahamson, the former executive director of IBM Center who served as an informal consultant to the CGI iteration, says contractors like CGI “get really attached to their mission -- they think they’re working for the public good and providing a public service.” A senior technology executive familiar with CGI puts it more bluntly: “They think they’re part of the government.” AMS provided most of the executive and managerial manpower at CGI Federal, which almost overnight had a new book of federal contracts with the Department of Health and Human Services, Los Angeles County and other agencies. At the helm was Schindler and his team -- the ardent cyclists at the Nemacolin event in November. In January, the company promoted Schindler to president of U.S. and Canada for CGI Group, giving him a larger role overseeing CGI Federal within the parent company. But with its history of botched federal contracts, including a $60 million screw-up for the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, the overseer of retirement accounts for 4.6 million current and former federal employees, AMS has also supplied some headaches. These days, says one insider briefed on the matter, CGI “doesn’t want to be associated with the AMS culture.” Asked about cultural differences, a CGI Federal spokeswoman said that there weren’t any and called both companies “introverted” and “heads down.” Asked to elaborate, the spokeswoman pointed to the “lack of advertising” by both companies. But Peter Bourke, an American consultant who helped the two companies integrate, saw something different. “With the merger, both companies had the interesting challenge of merging two different cultures,” he writes in a CGI “case study” on his website. The Double-Dip Sundae Last year, CGI got into the Asian and European markets when it acquired Logica plc, an Anglo-Dutch technology firm, for $2.7 billion -- its biggest acquisition, one that made it the world’s fifth largest information-technology company. Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a lobbying group, thinks CGI’s sights are set even higher: “What they would like to be is a Lockheed Martin -- the largest government contractor” in its industry. Before this deal, most CGI employees were in Canada and the United States, with some in India, but it now had access to many more educated, lower-cost technology workers in Hyderabad and Bangalore. With CGI’s global reach expanding, one Logica business the company jumped into was a Dutch crime-watch service called Burgernet, a “citizen’s network” that resembles a neighborhood watch group on technological steroids, with deep ties to the state. In a promotional video for Burgernet, two hoodlums on a red moped in the outskirts of Amsterdam snatch a brown purse from a woman pushing a baby in a stroller. A bystander witnessing the crime whips out his cell phone and calls a special Dutch government center to report the theft. A blond-haired dispatcher quickly texts a “keep-an-eye-out-for-these-guys” message to local shopkeepers and residents, and loops in the police. Calls fly back and forth, as “Pot,” a white-coated butcher, and “Mr. Smit,” a young man glancing out his apartment window, ring the center to report sightings. The scenario, set to dramatic, campy music, is a striking example of how CGI, like most federal contractors, views the deep intertwining of business and federal agencies. CGI touts Burgernet (the name has nothing to do with hamburgers--it refers to the Dutch word for “citizen”) as “a great success,” with more than 1.3 million people in 382 cities and towns across the Netherlands signed up. Logica is a very good business, in other words, but is it as good as CGI says it is? In the past 15 months, CGI has three times made accounting adjustments to the deal adding up to $1.1 billion, according to an analysis of securities filings by Yerashotis, who covers the company for Veritas Investment Research in Toronto. The adjustments mean CGI can record an additional $1.1 billion in pre-tax earnings, from related increases in revenue and decreases in expenses. That is something investors like, because earnings are a key driver of a company's stock price. But Yerashotis, who first flagged the issue last March, argues in a Nov. 14 research note that the economic picture behind CGI's earnings may be different: that the adjustments will not produce a corresponding amount of cold, hard cash -- a key metric to the health of corporate earnings. Yerashotis suggests that while the move appears to be legal, it might make CGI’s earnings -- and share price -- appear stronger than they really are. In a Nov. 14 research note, Bryan Keane and Ashish Sabadra, equity analysts who cover CGI for Deutsche Bank and have a “sell” rating on the stock, wrote that “we continue to question the quality of the company’s earnings,” and 683 Capital, a hedge fund in New York, has similar questions, according to a person briefed on the matter. The fund declined to comment. Skeptical analysts have honed in on increases for accounting purposes regarding money related to contract work Logica has completed but for which it has not yet submitted bills -- so-called deferred revenue. Making the increases allows CGI to shrink that liability as Logica gets paid, and record a corresponding increase in income -- even though there is no corresponding additional cash coming in from those contracts because Logica already accounted for that revenue prior to its acquisition by CGI. In his research note, Yerashotis flags that gap, noting that over its last fiscal year, CGI’s earnings before interest and taxes nearly doubled, while its free cash flow appears to have increased by only 58 percent. The disconnect could potentially dim prospects for shareholders, who probably know that CGI has never paid a dividend on its stock. In their report, the Deutsche Banks analysts ask if CGI is effectively “double-counting revenues.” Deutsche Bank declined to make Keane or Sabadra available for questions. None of that seems to worry most equity analysts. In recent weeks, more than a dozen brokerage firms have raised their target price on CGI’s stock. Scott Penner, who covers the company for TD Securities and is also a chartered financial analyst, has slammed the Veritas and Deutsche Bank analyses. Logica’s accounting prior to its acquisition, Penner wrote on Sept. 3, “was clearly a more aggressive way of recognizing revenue… yet Veritas (and now this broker)” -- meaning Deutsche Bank -- “spins it as CGI being more aggressive.” A spokesperson for Ernst & Young in Montreal, which audits CGI, did not return calls requesting comment. Asked about the accounting questions, Lorne Gorber, CGI’s senior vice president for global communications and investor relations, says doubters “don’t know our company. These guys are outliers… they’re looking at complex accounting issues, and investors have to wait and see” as the integration of Logica is completed “and assume the progress we’ve made will stand for itself.” Rescued by The Flying Nun In early 2010, CGI Federal managers in Fairfax, Va., caught wind of some potentially devastating news: HUD, one of its biggest government clients, was considering limiting the number of Section 8 low-income houses and apartments for which any one federal contractor could process payments. The biggest threat was the agency’s plan to put out to bid contracts that CGI Federal -- and others -- already held, and to limit profit margins at winning contractors to 10 percent. At the time, CGI ran the technology governing payments for 25 percent of the nation’s Section 8 stock -- 275,000 multi-family houses and apartments. Working with local public housing authorities, as required under HUD rules, CGI Federal had generated up to $50 million a year in fees from processing Section 8 payments and performing annual inspections, among other tasks, and CGI wanted more of that business -- as much as three-quarters. At stake amid the HUD limits was $625 million in revenues over four years, according to a confidential April 8, 2010 memo. Section 8 housing is largely a grim business in blighted urban areas. Nonetheless, CGI Federal’s profit margins on the business were large. According to a confidential three-page internal document obtained by Newsweek and dated January 28, 2010, they ran as high as 51.7 percent, more than four times the 10 percent profits cap that HUD wanted. Another worrisome point for CGI Federal: HUD’s Inspector General found that some public housing contractors, including those affiliated with CGI Federal, had over-billed the Section 8 program by tens of millions of dollars. In the face of this threat, some CGI Federal managers came up with an idea. “I don’t know whether this is possible or allowable, but can we create new entities for selected jurisdictions that are a joined (sic) venture of a PHA and a CGI subsidiary,” wrote Panos Kyprianou, a director of consulting services in CGI in a confidential email dated January 29, 2010 and obtained by Newsweek. “If this holds then we can get away with the unit restrictions as these entities will somehow be independent from CGI.” In other words, could CGI set up entities it secretly controlled, put public housing authorities in front of them, and then hide behind them when bidding on Section 8 contracts? “In other words,” Kyprianou wrote, “can we hide behind a subcontractor?” CGI already had close ties to some public housing authorities, into which it has effectively embedded its employees. One example: the Oakland branch of California Housing Initiatives Inc recently listed Andrew Hill of CGI Federal as its contact person on its website. The link has since been removed. In his email, Kyprianou dubbed the proposal “flying nun” -- a reference to the 1960s sitcom about a seemingly virtuous nun with a dirty past. “The idea was to use shell companies to do the bidding, get the award and them fold them into CGI,” says one former manager. “Our business model was going to be screwed unless we used sleight of hand.” Marybeth Carragher, a CGI vice president of consulting, replied to Kyprianou’s email that same day: “I was thinking exactly -- well almost exactly -- that scenario.” She added that she wanted to “mock up a few potential scenarios for working around” the proposed HUD restrictions. CGI says in a statement that an alleged contracting scheme “never existed; nor was it ever contemplated.” A spokesman for HUD in Washington, D.C. did not return calls requesting comment. A Man Called HUD Benjamin Ashmore, a former HUD manager hired by CGI Federal around 2009, alleges that he was fired in 2011 when he objected to behind-the-scenes proposals to skirt HUD restrictions. He filed a whistle-blower lawsuit in late 2011 that asserts CGI Federal devised a “director shell company scheme” -- a front for hiding behind public housing authorities. His lawsuit, which is wending its way through Federal District Court in Manhattan, also alleges that CGI violated Securities and Exchange Commission fraud rules. CGI Group argues in court papers that no SEC violations are involved because its unit, CGI Federal, is not a publicly traded company, but a judge rejected that argument. Ashmore’s complaint alleges that CGI created an in-house team of managers to address the HUD restrictions. Formally dubbed the “Rapid Action Team,” or RAT, the group openly called itself “The Rat Pack” in a undated slide that features photographs of CGI employees next to ones of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Hollywood’s other original Rat Pack members. In a statement, CGI Group said that “the alleged contracting scheme that Mr. Ashmore describes never existed; nor was it ever contemplated.” Ashmore, now the founder, president and chairman of the National Family Civil Rights Center, an advocacy group with offices in Washington, D.C. and New York, says that when he left HUD to join CGI, he was “impressed with CGI and excited to join the company. It was like being dazzled by the Emerald City from afar.” He says things turned sour when he saw what he alleges was a shell-company scheme. “Being at CGI was like peering behind the curtain and realizing that the Wizard of Oz was just a charlatan… behind the curtain, greed, deception and profits replaced common sense and ethical obligations to clients.” Asked about Ashmore’s lawsuit, Garber says simply, “we’ll let the courts do their work--that’s what the whistle-blower function is intended to do.” \|\|\|\|\| The Department of Health and Human Services signed a contract with Hewlett-Packard Co. to replace Verizon Communications Inc.'s Terremark subsidiary as its web-hosting provider for the federal health-insurance marketplace, according to people familiar with the matter. Terremark's data center hosts key elements of HealthCare.gov, as well as a digital juncture used to exchange information between it and state-run exchanges, federal agencies and insurers. The website, which serves 36 states, has experienced a number of...	– How did the company that built the bulk of HealthCare.gov manage to bungle it so badly? There may be some clues in the corporate ethos of CGI Federal, Newsweek finds in an extensive look at the Canadian IT pioneer that now holds hundreds of government contracts in the US and abroad. At CGI, founder Serge Godin's unusual management philosophy still holds sway, with little in-house training for employees who are expected to "manage themselves" and "make their own jobs" by tracking down projects within the company, former execs say. The company doesn't even track sick days—but employees who go three weeks without finding a project can be fired. Most of its workers are classed as consultants and benefit from profit-sharing schemes. But beyond the corporate ethos—which extends to the firm having its own "constitution"—there are allegations of shady accounting practices, underhanded methods of winning projects, and a general sense that contractors have become so deeply embedded in federal agencies that "they think they’re part of the government," in the words of a senior technology exec. The long-term consequences of the HealthCare.gov mess for the company are still unclear, but another contractor involved has already been replaced, reports the Wall Street Journal. Hewlett-Packard has signed a contract to serve as the project's web-hosting provider, replacing Verizon subsidiary Terremark. The switch, which means technical work will continue for months, was arranged before ObamaCare's botched launch, but sources say big problems with Terremark's hosting were apparent years ago.
An Australian teenager is facing criminal charges after he Tweeted about bringing a “bomb” to a Pink concert. The sixteen-year-old was ejected from Pink’s Sunday night show at Rod Laver Arena after he sent the ill-advised Tweet. As the Philadelphia-raised pop icon arrived on stage, the fan Tweeted: "@Pink I'm ready with my Bomb. Time to blowup #RodLaverArena Bitch.” Staff at the Melbourne arena apparently identified the boy by his Twitter profile picture. Police arrested the teen, but he was released and is expected to be charged on summons. The boy fronted the media today, and explained that the Tweet was an innocent reference to Pink's song “Timebomb,” a bonus track lifted from her latest album "The Truth About Love." "It was meant to be about drop the effects, the music, everything - just drop it all," he said. The Tweet has since been deleted. Pink’s tour of Australia is a blockbuster, and her stint in Melbourne is a record-breaker. The city’s 15,000 capacity arena is to host a record 18 Pink shows this month and next, beating the previous best run for the venue (17) which she set herself on the 2009 “Funhouse” trek. An official Pink pop-up store has now opened in central Melbourne – her first anywhere in the world. By the time her 46-date “The Truth About Love” tour of Australia winds-up, Pink will have played to some 500,000 fans, according to promoter Live Nation. \|\|\|\|\| A TEENAGER has been arrested for tweeting "time to blow up Rod Laver Arena" during Pink's concert in Melbourne last night. The full tweet read: "@Pink I'm ready with my Bomb. Time to blow up #RodLaverArena. B*tch." His sister today defended her brother as a "grade A student", and slammed security for the manner in which they dealt with the 16-year-old. The teenager had travelled from his home in Warrnambool to attend the gig, but ended up missing the entire show while he waited for his parents to make the three-hour trip to pick him up. His sister, who the Herald Sun has chosen not to name, said his family was furious at her brother’s treatment by security guards. "We don’t think it should be going to court because of the way they handled him. They pulled him, they threw him on the ground and locked him up," she told the Herald Sun. The boy, who attended the gig with two mates, had only been inside the venue for 10 minutes when security guards approached him. "We had to go there at midnight to sort it out and we thought we had to bail him, we thought he’d been killed, we didn’t know what to think," she said. She added that the offending tweet was sent after the gig was delayed by about an hour. "It was freezing cold, and he didn’t mean it like that. He wrote it as in one of her songs is called Timebomb and he forgot to put the Time on there," she said. She added that her brother had never been in any trouble before and the incident had come as a shock to the family. "We are a decent family and we don’t have bombs and stuff like that. We’re not terrorists and we don’t want people to think that," she said. "Boys will be boys. It wasn’t an issue that they had a bomb, it wasn’t a prank or anything like that. He told us he was referring to lyrics in a song and it was just a `check-in’ sort of thing." The woman claimed security staff approached her brother with a picture of his twitter photo and asked if it was him. "He thought he’d won something. He didn’t deny it was him. He’s not a trouble maker. He’s doing his VCE. He’s a grade A student. He’s really shy. He’s not a nasty piece of work," she said. "Then seven people just jumped on him. It was just so violent." She commended the behaviour of police at the arena throughout his ordeal. "They spoke to him, they fed him and someone was there making jokes with him. They just thought he needed a kick in the bum and that’s all he really needed," she added. A police spokeswoman said the boy was expected to be charged on summons. Security was able to find the 16-year-old in a crowd of 12,000 after he sent the tweet with his profile picture using the official Rod Laver Arena hashtag. The tweet referred to Pink's song Timebomb and wasn't sinister, his father told 3AW radio this morning. "When he wrote that, he didn't have time to put 'Timebomb', you know," he said. He said staff searched the crowd and approached his son and asked him "Is this you?" "And he said 'yes', and then they dragged him to security and called the police," he said. "He was scared. He's only a 16-year-old kid." He said his son facing criminal charges, including public nuisance, was excessive. "The policeman said to me, 'if it was up to me, I would have booted him in the backside and said go home'," he told 3AW. "But they demanded he be arrested."	– An Australian teen found out the hard way that Melbourne police take tweets about bombs very seriously ... even if those tweets are just innocent references to pop songs. While attending a Pink concert, the male fan tweeted, referring to her song "Timebomb," "@Pink I'm ready with my Bomb. Time to blowup #RodLaverArena Bitch." Police found the 16-year-old with help from arena staff, who identified him via his profile picture, and he was arrested, Billboard reports. The tweet "was meant to be about drop the effects, the music, everything—just drop it all," the teen explains. Even so, he's expected to face charges for the now-deleted tweet. His sister tells the Herald Sun security guards "threw him on the ground," after he had been inside the arena just 10 minutes. When approached by security and asked if he was the boy shown in the profile photo, "He thought he'd won something," his sister says. "He didn't deny it was him. He's not a trouble maker."
U.C. Berkeley Student Nicolas Leslie Confirmed Dead Following Nice Attack Source: Nick Leslie / Facebook University of California, Berkeley, student Nicolas Leslie died in the attack in Nice, France, last week, the university confirmed in a statement "This is tragic, devastating news," UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said in the statement. "All of us in the UC Berkeley family – both here on campus, and around the world – are heartbroken to learn that another promising young student has been lost to senseless violence. I join Nick's parents, friends and the entire campus community in condemning this horrific attack, and in mourning the loss of one of our own."Leslie, 20, had previously been reported as missing following the attack. He was one of 85 students participating in Berkeley's month-long Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe study abroad program.Leslie and several other students from the program were celebrating Bastille Day in Nice's Promenade des Anglais when a truck barreled through the crowd . The attack left at least 84 dead and 120 injured, including several Americans Berkeley students Vladyslav Kostiuk, 23, and Daryus Medora, 21, suffered broken legs in the attack, while 20-year-old Diane Huang's foot was broken. The university announced that although the program would continue through its July 24 end date, any students wishing to return home immediately would be allowed to do so. So far, seven students have elected to leave France within the next few days.Just two weeks ago, 18-year-old Berkeley sophomore Tarishi Jain was killed in a terrorist attack at a restaurant in Dhaka, Bangladesh.A vigil for Leslie is planned for 4:30 p.m. PT on Monday in Sproul Plaza in Berkeley's campus. \|\|\|\|\| Relative of the victims of the Bastille Day attack confort each other as they gather in front of Pasteur Hospital in Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A large truck mowed through revelers... (Associated Press) NICE, France (AP) — The painstaking process of identifying the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice dragged into its third day Sunday, adding to the anguish of family members caught between uncertainty and grief. Eighty-four people were killed in the Thursday night attack on the Promenades des Anglais, which happened as they were making their way home from a waterfront fireworks display. But just 35 bodies had been identified definitively by Sunday afternoon, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. The excruciating delay is adding to the suffering of survivors. One family spent days canvasing hospitals and office for news of a 4-year-old boy whose mother perished, their frustration boiling over into a confrontation with a regional official. University of California, Berkeley students plastered flyers around the city asking for any information on the whereabouts of three classmates at a technology entrepreneur education program. Several imams stepped into the official breach, posting themselves outside the Pasteur Hospital on Sunday to help family members visiting the injured or looking for confirmation of their worst fears from the hospital morgue. "It puts them in extreme angst, and extreme tension," said Brigitte Erbibou, a psychologist who has been counselling family members at center helping victims and family members. "It's unbearable because the more the days go by, the more they suspect the (death) announcement will come. However, until it is announced, the wait is absolutely unbearable because there is no way to come to terms and to begin the work of . the grieving process." She counselled two children this weekend whose father was killed but whose mother remained missing. "The children were telling me, 'For Dad we know, but for Mom, it's unbearable.'" ___ Prosecutors in Paris said the identification was being carried out under an accelerated procedure established after last November's Paris attacks, using DNA or family medical records. They gave no indication of how long the process would take. "This process is step by step, so that everything will be guaranteed the moment that the identities will be released," French health minister Marisol Touraine told reporters during a visit to Nice, where she met families at a hospital and a victims' center. Three days after the attack, families of 12 victims were able to see the bodies for the first time. Officials also issued the first death certificates and burial permissions. ___ Among those summoned was the Sahroui family, who a grief counselor said lost a mother, an 8-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl and an uncle. In the ethnically mixed Madeleine neighborhood, three women wearing abayas — one of them the two children's sister — left for the morgue for a final identification. The Algerian-born father remained inside as friends and neighbors made their way upstairs to pay their respects. Yasmin Touabia, a volunteer at the victim's center, counseled them on Saturday. "They were staggered, in a state of shock. The grandmother . kept repeating that her pain was not being able to bury them, that it was the wait. That if they had died at home, they could have been buried right away." ___ The official morgue summons, even if just for a few, was a breakthrough of sorts. Authorities on Saturday had gathered grief counsellors at several points in the city as they prepared to issue a list of the dead. But that was called off at the last minute. Hisham Kahlfallah, whose sister Olfa died and 4-year-old nephew Kylan was listed as missing, was already waiting outside the victims' center when they said no lists would be issued, his frustration boiling over when the head of the regional council, former Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi, emerged from an official visit. "Christian, you are not coming our way. Christian come here," he implored. "We have questions for you, Mr. Estrosi. You called the media and you don't call the families of the victims." Estrosi strode away to answer reporters' questions, while an aide talked to Kahlfallah, explaining that they had been trying to get the prosecutors' office to release the list without success. About the same time across town, the boy's father gave an excruciating howl of grief outside the Pasteur hospital, crying, "Bye-bye, Kylan." Friends contacted by The Associated Press insisted that the death hadn't yet been officially confirmed, and the Nice Matin newspaper said that a hospital worker had communicated the death with a nod of the head. Hours later, a Facebook page for victims, "Solidarite Nice" carried photos of the boy leaning against a teddy bear bigger than him. The message: "Rest in peace next to your mother, my little angel. Your sweet smile will always be engraved in my heart." ___ UC Berkeley student Abhinav Kukreja was canvassing this weekend outside the Nice police station to find three missing friends studying at the European Innovation Academy in Nice, a program for aspiring tech entrepreneurs. "The police wasn't helping us at all. We had multiple calls. So we just decided to bring our flyers," Kukreja told the AP. The U.S. Embassy gave permission to post the number for tips, he said. "But apparently the police didn't like that we were putting out flyers." One of the friends he searched for, 20-year-old UC Berkeley student Nicolas Leslie, was declared among the dead on Sunday, according to his school. The university said in a statement that it was informed of Leslie's death by the FBI. Leslie was from Del Mar, in the San Diego area. Still among the missing were Ukrainian national Misha Bazelevsky, a 22-year-old Canadian resident; and Estonian Rickard Krussberg, 21, a spokeswoman for the academy said. Kukreja's flyers said Leslie and Bazelevsky were last seen at the High Beach along the Promenade des Anglais. _____ Meanwhile, 85 people remained hospitalized. The health minister told reporters that all but one of those hospitalized had been identified by Sunday. One of the last was a 7-year-old boy whose picture had been circulated on social media after no relatives stepped forward immediately after the attack. The Romanian boy was identified by his grandmother who traveled from Germany on Saturday, said Stephanie Simpson, a spokeswoman at the Lenval pediatric hospital. His father remains missing, but foreign ministry officials in Bucharest confirmed that the mother was hospitalized in serious condition. Simpson said most of the 30 injured children treated at Lenval will also have to deal with having a family member who was killed or injured. "This is the really sad part of this tragedy. It really hit deeply the families who were there. What is going to be the most difficult part to handle are the psychological aspects after, because the wounds can be healed and treated very easily. ... It is really the psychological issues that are causing the biggest damage." ___ Associated Press writers Angela Charlton and Thomas Adamson contributed from Paris. \|\|\|\|\| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. / Updated By Hasani Gittens, Cassandra Vinograd and Nancy Ing NICE, France — A 20-year-old University of California Berkeley student has been confirmed dead — the third American killed in the Bastille Day truck attack. Nicolas Leslie UC Berkeley News of Nicolas Leslie's death just hours before France held an official moment of silence to honor the 84 killed and 200 injured in the attack. A sea of people gathered on the Nice promenade to pay tribute, standing in silence before breaking out into the national anthem. Leslie — who was in Nice as part of Cal's Study Abroad program — had been accounted for since a deranged driver plowed a truck into a crowd watching fireworks on Thursday night. Only 71 of the 84 people killed in the attack had been formally identified as of Monday afternoon, French officials said. Posters with Leslie's picture had been plastered along the beach and Nice promenade amid the ongoing search, taped up amidst growing memorials to the victims. His university said Sunday night that confirmation of Leslie's death had been relayed to campus officials by the FBI. "This is tragic, devastating news," UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said in a statement. "All of us in the UC Berkeley family — both here on campus, and around the world — are heartbroken to learn that another promising young student has been lost to senseless violence. I join Nick’s parents, friends and the entire campus community in condemning this horrific attack, and in mourning the loss of one of our own." French officials have said the attack was carried out by a recently-radicalized Tunisian man, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel. Bouhlel scouted out the Promenade des Anglais twice before the attack — on July 12 and 13, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. The government has drawn intense criticism for failing to thwart the Nice attack, the third major attack to hit France in just over 18 months. French President Francois Hollande — who has ordered reservists called up and security measures intensified in wake of the attack — chaired another meeting of the defense council on Monday. UC Berkeley said that three of its student also were among the injured in Nice. Vladyslav Kostiuk, a 23-year-old senior computer science major, suffered a broken leg, and Diane Huang, 20, a senior majoring in environmental economics and policy, sustained a broken foot. The Berkeley community was already in mourning following an attack at a restaurant in Bangladesh, on July 2, in which 18-year-old Berkeley sophomore Tarishi Jain was among 20 foreigners killed. A father and son from Texas were also killed in the attack in Nice. U.S. Ambassador Jane Hartley said the families of the Americans killed were "devastated." "As you can imagine, it's a terrible, terrible thing," she told NBC News. Hartley said she understands the shock — and anger — brought on by the attack but called for unity in wake of the tragedy. "I think the world has to come together now," Hartley told NBC News. "I think that every mother and grandmother out there should look at this terrorist attack and say, it could have been my child or it could have been my grandchildren, and we have to stop it."	– Nicolas Leslie, a 20-year-old UC Berkeley student missing since Thursday, has been confirmed as the third American victim of the truck attack in Nice. He was in the French city as part of the university's Study Abroad program, NBC News reports. "This is tragic, devastating news," UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said in a statement. "All of us in the UC Berkeley family—both here on campus, and around the world—are heartbroken to learn that another promising young student has been lost to senseless violence." Relatives had been searching desperately for Leslie, who sent a Snapchat video of himself just 15 minutes before the Thursday night attack. Two other UC Berkeley students in the same program, 23-year-old Vladyslav Kostiuk and Daryus Medora, 21, suffered broken legs in the attack, People reports, while 20-year-old Diane Huang suffered a broken foot. Another seven of the 85 UC Berkeley students who had been studying in Nice have decided to return to the US before the official end of the program next week. A father and son from Texas were also killed in the Nice attack. The AP reports that French authorities are still working to identify all the people killed, and as of Sunday afternoon had only confirmed the identities of 35 of the 84 who died.
Comedian And Civil Rights Activist Dick Gregory Dies At 84 Enlarge this image toggle caption Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Dick Gregory, the comedian and civil rights crusader, died Saturday. He was 84. His family announced the news on his public Facebook page. "It is with enormous sadness that the Gregory family confirms that their father, comedic legend and civil rights activist Mr. Dick Gregory departed this earth tonight in Washington, DC," his son Christian Gregory said in the post. "The family appreciates the outpouring of support and love and respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time. More details will be released over the next few days." According to The Associated Press, Gregory, who was recently in and out of the hospital, died following a severe bacterial infection. NPR has not independently confirmed the cause of death. Gregory gained attention as a comedian in the early 1960s, and was the first black comedian to widely win plaudits from white audiences. Darryl Littleton, author of the book Black Comedians on Black Comedy, told NPR in 2009 that Gregory broke barriers with his appearances on television, just by sitting down: "Dick Gregory is the first to recognized — and he'll say it — the first black comedian to be able to stand flat-footed, and just delivered comedy. You had other comedians back then but they always had to do a little song or a dance or whatever, Sammy Davis had to dance and sing, and then tell jokes. Same with Pearl Bailey and some of the other comedians. But Dick Gregory was able to grow on television, sit down on the Jack Paar show — and sit on the couch and actually have a discussion, and that it never happened in the history of television." Gregory "opened the door" for Bill Cosby to rise to fame, Littleton said. He was noted for his political and social activism, beginning in the civil rights movement in the 1960s. He attended the historic 1963 March on Washington. Forty years later, Gregory told Tavis Smiley on NPR about his experience at the march, describing it as "joy. It was festivity, and as far as the human eye could see." Gregory talked in 2003 about his experience trying to integrate a restaurant in Mississippi before the march, showing he could inject some humor into a serious story: "We tried to integrate a restaurant, and they said, `We don't serve colored folk here,' and I said, `Well, I don't eat colored folk nowhere. Bring me some pork chops.' And then Ku Klux Klan come in, and the woman say, `We don't have no pork chops,' so I say, `Well, bring me a whole fried chicken.' And then the Klan walked up to me when they put that whole fried chicken in front of me, and they say, `Whatever you do to that chicken, boy, we're going to do to you.' So I opened up its legs and kissed it in the rump and tell you all, `Be my guest.' " He was direct in his language about race. He co-wrote with Robert Lipsyte the book nigger: An Autobiography — the "n" is lowercase — in 1964. Gregory explained to NPR why he chose that title: "So this word 'nigger' was one of the most well-used words in America, particularly among black folks. And I said, `Well, let's pull it out the closet. Let's lay it out here. Let's deal with it. Let's dissect it.' Now the problem I have today is people call it the N-word. It should never be called the N-word. You see, how do you talk about a swastika by using another term?" Gregory called the U.S. "the number-one most racist system on the planet. ... And I hope that America is willing to take this shoe of racism off and deal with racism and deal with sexism." He ran for mayor of Chicago in 1967 and ran for president in 1968 under the Freedom and Peace Party. He was on the ballot in eight states and got 47,133 votes, as Ken Rudin wrote for NPR. Hunger strikes were a frequent activist tool for Gregory. He told Juan Williams on Talk of the Nation that he went without solid food for two and a half years to protest the war in Vietnam. At one point, he said he weighed 365 pounds. But he lost a lot of weight fasting to protest the war. "I went on a fast, 40 days of water. Forty days of fruit juice. Forty days of fruit. And then 40 days of water again," Gregory told NPR. In 2000, Gregory went on a hunger strike to protest police brutality, long before the current wave of activism. Gregory promoted some conspiracy theories, telling NPR in 2005 about conspiracies involving the death of Princess Diana and the Sept. 11 attacks. "The FBI and the CIA is probably the two most evil entities that ever existed in the history of the planet," Gregory told Ed Gordon on News & Notes. He was also an inspired health guru, who doled out advice to many for better living, including celebrities like Michael Jackson, whom he advised during the singer's trial. The musician Questlove paid tribute to Gregory's healthful influence on Instagram, as "one of the first major black figures I saw advocating for a healthier lifestyle for black folks that were caught on unhealthy choices we've made in the name of cheaper survival options," he wrote. Gregory joked about getting old with Tavis Smiley in 2002: "Here's how you can tell when you're getting old. When someone compliment those beautiful alligator shoes you're wearing and you're barefooted. ... Or when your lady or man hollers downstairs, `Dear, run upstairs and let's have some sex,' and you yell back, `You know I can just do one or the other,' then you kind of be in trouble, you know." Gregory was married for more than 50 years and had 10 children. His daughter Ayanna Gregory released a song called "A Ballad For My Father" in 2007. She told NPR that her father was gone from home often, but it was because "human rights became his life." She sang: "As a little girl, I didn't know what you meant to this world. If I had a dime for every time somebody told me it's to save their lives and changed their minds. You planted seeds so long ago deep in me so I would grow." Gregory mused about death in 2006, when talking with Ed Gordon about the passing at the time of Coretta Scott King: "Let me just say this, whenever you die from this planet, I feel you go some place, and my trip going to be so long to wherever I go, I got instructions from my wife to put on a couple of backpacks." \|\|\|\|\| After his discharge in 1956, Gregory returned to Southern Illinois University. But he soon dropped out and moved to Chicago. He worked for a time at the post office — “I kept flipping the letters to Mississippi in the foreign slot,” he’d joke — and then at Ford Aircraft before landing a job as a comic-emcee in the lounge of a neighborhood bar on Chicago’s South Side. \|\|\|\|\| Dick Gregory, the pioneering satirist who transformed cool humor into a barbed force for civil rights in the 1960s, then veered from his craft for a life devoted to protest and fasting in the name of assorted social causes, health regimens and conspiracy theories, died Saturday in Washington. He was 84. Mr. Gregory’s son Christian Gregory, who announced his death on social media, said more details would be released in the coming days. Mr. Gregory had been admitted to a hospital on Aug. 12, his son said in an earlier Facebook post. Early in his career, Mr. Gregory insisted in interviews that his first order of business onstage was to get laughs, not to change how white America treated Negroes (the accepted word for African-Americans at the time). “Humor can no more find the solution to race problems than it can cure cancer,” he said. Nonetheless, as the civil rights movement was kicking into high gear, whites who caught his club act or listened to his routines on records came away with a deeper feel for the nation’s shameful racial history. Mr. Gregory was a breakthrough performer in his appeal to whites — a crossover star, in contrast to veteran black comedians like Redd Foxx, Moms Mabley and Slappy White, whose earthy, pungent humor was mainly confined to black clubs on the so-called chitlin circuit. \|\|\|\|\| Legendary comedian Dick Gregory, who maintained a busy role as an activist, died Saturday, Aug. 19. He was 84. (Reuters) The images that have graced Dick Gregory’s obituaries show the comic-turned activist with a long white beard and a weathered face, educating crowds about the killing of Trayvon Martin or police brutality. But before his transformation into an activist, Gregory was a man on a stage in front of a sometimes-hostile crowd, making acerbic, insightful jokes about race, segregation and the civil rights movement that still resonate half a century later. [Obituary: Gregory, cutting-edge satirist and uncompromising activist, dies at 84] Gregory died Saturday at age 84. The New York Times called him a precursor to comedians such as Richard Pryor, who also used humor to slice through cultural hypocrisies and abject racism. Activist Dick Gregory spoke at a “Justice for Trayvon” vigil in Washington in July 2013. (Mary F. Calvert for The Washington Post ) And Gregory’s jokes lingered, as John Legend, who produced a one-man play on Gregory’s life, told the Boston Globe: “It sounds like he’s aware of what’s happening now even though they were written so long ago.” People are still reflecting on some of his insightful punchlines, including: On Jim Crow laws RIP Dick Gregory, who was as funny as he was courageous pic.twitter.com/2L3mrVrhzo — Layla Dhere (@dhere) August 20, 2017 I waited at the counter of a white restaurant for eleven years. When they finally integrated, they didn't have what I wanted. – Dick Gregory — George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) August 20, 2017 On Willie Mays, the Major League Baseball player who was at times a target of racism: “You know I still feel sorry for Willie. I hate to see any baseball player having trouble. That’s a great sport. That is the only sport in the world where a Negro can shake a stick at a white man and won’t start no riot.” On how people learn to hate: "I never learned hate at home, or shame. I had to go to school for that." – #RIPDickGregory pic.twitter.com/zckwZCfkCD — Geneva S. Thomas (@GenevaSThomas) August 20, 2017 On America spreading its ideals throughout the world: On the KKK: "A Klaner (KKK) is a cat who gets out of bed in the middle of the night and takes his sheet with him." – Dick Gregory. Rest in peace. — betsydee (@betsydee) August 20, 2017 On bad neighborhoods: "I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew no white dude would come into my neighborhood after dark." ~Dick Gregory #RIPDickGregory — The Crisis Magazine (@thecrisismag) August 20, 2017 Read more: Trump tweets ‘covfefe,’ inspiring a semi-comedic act of Congress Stephen Colbert channels Keyser Söze to blast Trump’s Russia ties Stephen Colbert calls Donald Trump a liar — over and over and over again ‘Impenetrable, physical, tall’: Colbert uses Trump’s speeches to calculate border-wall costs	– Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory died Saturday at age 84, and sites are remembering some of his classic jokes. Here's a sampling, culled from the Washington Post, the New York Times, NPR, and the Los Angeles Times. "We tried to integrate a restaurant, and they said, `We don't serve colored folk here,' and I said, `Well, I don't eat colored folk nowhere. Bring me some pork chops.'" "I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew no white dude would come into my neighborhood after dark." “Segregation is not all bad. Have you ever heard of a collision where the people in the back of the bus got hurt?” “I sat in at a lunch counter for nine months. When they finally integrated, they didn’t have what I wanted.” “I've been reading so much about cigarettes and cancer, I quit reading.”
Share: TOKYO-A group of Japanese scholars is set to reveal the names of the members of a Japanese World War II germ warfare unit that infected and starved Chinese and allied POWs in a series of gruesome experiments. Katsuo Nishiyama, professor emeritus of Shiga University of Medical Science in western Japan, has told local media his team is analysing a list of 3,607 members and plans to publish it online to encourage further historical study of the unit. “This is the first time that we see a list of the names of nearly all its members being released in the form of an official document,” the Mainichi Shimbun daily quoted Nishiyama as saying. Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army was set up in Manchuria after Japan formed a puppet state in northeastern China in 1931. Its members - some of them physicians from Japan’s top medical universities - conducted human experiments, injecting plague and other germs into their victims, testing germ bombs, and artificially causing frostbite to victims while depriving them of sleep and food. The Japanese government denied the existence of the unit until 1998, when the Supreme Court indirectly acknowledged it by ruling there was an academic consensus that Unit 731 existed. The list, recently released by the National Archives of Japan to Nishiyama’s team, includes the names, ranks and addresses of those who belonged to Unit 731, according to the Mainichi Shimbun. “This piece of valuable evidence supports all the testimonies given by those who knew the unit. This is a big step forward for efforts to reveal the hidden truth,” Nishiyama said. The list includes 52 surgeons, 49 engineers, 38 nurses and 1,117 combat medics of the unit. Nishiyama could not be reached for immediate comment. Japan, unlike Germany, has been widely accused of failing fully to face up to its wartime atrocities. The subject is not widely taught in schools, and comments by conservative politicians glossing over the issue regularly anger other Asian nations which were the victims of occupation. \|\|\|\|\| Japan has disclosed the names of thousands of members of Unit 731, a notorious branch of the imperial Japanese army that conducted lethal experiments on Chinese civilians in the 1930s and 40s as it sought to develop chemical and biological weapons. The country’s national archives passed on the names of 3,607 people in response to a request by Katsuo Nishiyama, a professor at Shiga University of Medical Science, in a move that could reignite the public debate over Japanese atrocities committed in occupied China before and during the second world war. “This is the first time that an official document showing the real names of almost all members of Unit 731 has been disclosed,” Nishiyama told the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. “The list is important evidence that supports testimony by those involved. Its discovery will be a major step toward unveiling concealed facts.” The document lists members of the Kwantung army’s Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department – the unit’s official name – and is dated 1 January 1945. It includes the names, ranks and contact details of more than 1,000 army medics, as well as dozens of doctors, surgeons, nurses and engineers. Japan reluctantly acknowledged the unit’s existence in the late 1990s, but has refused to discuss its activities. Instead, accounts of the unit’s activities have been built around testimony from former members, photographs and documentary evidence. In 2006, Toyo Ishii, a former nurse, said she had helped bury the remains of victims of Japan’s biological warfare programme at a site in Tokyo, as US forces moved into the Japanese capital at the end of the second word war. Ishii said she and her colleagues had been ordered to bury numerous corpses, bones and body parts following Japan’s surrender in August 1945. Other accounts indicate that similar experiments took place in other parts of Asia. In 2006, Akira Makino, a former doctor, said he had been ordered to conduct experiments on condemned men while stationed on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Formed in the mid-1930s in Harbin, north-eastern China, Unit 731 conducted lethal experiments on an estimated 3,000 prisoners, who were mostly Chinese and Korean. According to historical accounts, male and female prisoners, named “logs” by their torturers, were subjected to vivisection without anaesthesia after they had been deliberately infected with diseases such as typhus and cholera. Some had limbs amputated or organs removed. As Japan headed towards defeat in the summer of 1945, the unit’s leader, Lt Gen Shiro Ishii, forbade researchers from discussing their work and ordered the demolition of the unit’s Harbin headquarters. At the end of the war, US authorities secretly granted unit officials immunity from prosecution in return for access to their research. Several former Unit 731 officials went on to have successful careers in medicine, academia and business. Nishiyama reportedly plans to publish the list online to encourage historians to conduct further studies into the unit.	– It had the boring and bureaucratic name of the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department. But this secretive unit of the Japanese army during World War II—better known as Unit 731—conducted germ warfare and other lethal experiments on live prisoners of war, explains the Guardian. Now, at the request of scholars, Japan has for the first time released the names of 3,607 of those in the unit, a list that includes 52 surgeons, 49 engineers, 38 nurses, and 1,117 combat medics. The unit, developed in 1936 with the intent of developing biological weapons, conducted its experiments mostly in China on Chinese and Korean prisoners accused of espionage, reports the Japan Times. Its existence remained a secret for decades after the war, in part because the US and its allies did not want the work made public. Among other things, doctors would inject the plague into victims, deliberately cause frostbite, and deprive prisoners of food and water to observe the effects, per the AFP. Surgeons also would perform operations on live prisoners as if they were lab rats. "The list is important evidence that supports testimony by those involved," says Katsuo Nishiyama, a professor at Shiga University of Medical Science. He said he hopes its publication will lead to more information about the unit, which conducted experiments with 20 different kinds of bacteria, including anthrax and smallpox. By one estimate, 3,000 people died at the hands of the unit. One tangible result: Nishiyama will be pushing to have a university degree revoked from at least one medical officer whose dissertation is believed to have been based on the human experiments. (This POW recorded Nazi horrors using ink and urine.)
In an old theater with red velvet curtains and folding wooden seats, Donald Trump trotted out his own unique variety show for a crowd of roughly 700 in the theater and millions more watching on cable news. Trump took a gamble most candidates would avoid. Will it pay off? \| Lucia Graves Read more It was an attempt to resurrect the long-dead genre of vaudeville, only replacing acrobats with Rick Santorum and tenors with veterans. In lieu of participating in the Fox News presidential debate, Trump held his own special salute to veterans in the Sheslow Auditorium at Des Moines’ Drake University. He served as ringmaster, prancing on and off stage as fellow presidential candidates, combat veterans and YouTube celebrities all took turns paying tribute both to Trump and those who have served in the US armed forces. The crowd was a mix of Trump supporters, many of whom travelled in from all over the country, and local military veterans. For every hat representing an American Legion post that an attendee belonged to, or a naval ships on which they served, there was a Make America Great Again baseball cap. The crowd was leavened by a healthy mix of members of the national media, television anchors, cameramen and those writers fortunate enough not to be booted to a spare media filing room off-stage. The event came about days after Trump announced he would boycott the presidential debate. He said he made the decision after the network sent out a press release that Trump believed was derogatory. The Republican frontrunner had long refused to commit to participating in the debate, because of his ongoing feud with Fox anchor Megyn Kelly, with whom he sparred in the first presidential debate last August. The release was the final straw for Trump. “I probably won’t bother to do the debate,�? Trump said in a press conference held in a high school gym in Marshalltown, Iowa, on Tuesday. “I am going to have something else in Iowa, something simultaneously with the debate.�? Trump said this event would raise money for “veterans and the wounded warriors�?. Trump waited all of 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the Republican debate at 8pm local time to take center stage. Addressing the crowd, Trump, with typical bravado, insisted that Fox had been desperate to get him back in the debate. “Fox has been extremely nice the last number of hours and they wanted me there,�? said Trump. However, the GOP frontrunner said he couldn’t show up because he was hosting Thursday’s event for veterans. This account was disputed in a press release from Fox News. Trump sidelined as Republican rivals debate without frontrunner Read more As Trump described it, “once this ball started rolling we couldn’t stop it.�? He then spent several minutes listing various real estate developers who had made large donations to his effort to raise money for veterans. Afterdoling out his obligatory insults aimed at “low energy�? Jeb Bush, Trump introduced two other Republican candidates, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, fresh from the undercard Republican debate across town. Huckabee and Santorum, two past winners of the Iowa caucuses, both talked briefly about their deep concern for veterans while dealing with the awkwardness of speaking behind a podium with “TRUMP�? emblazoned on it. “I am supporting another candidate for president,�? Santorum joked, while Huckabee just embraced the awkwardness: “I figure you’re going to get the photo anyway.�? Following the appearance of his two opponents in the race for the Republican nomination, Trump introduced veteran and activist John Wayne Walding, who lost his leg in combat. “He should be more famous than me because he’s a lot more courageous than me,�? Trump said, introducing his special guest. “I’m financially courageous, about the other stuff I don’t know.�? Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ivanka Trump waves to the crowd during Trump’s veteran’s rally in Des Moines. Photograph: Aaron P Bernstein/Reuters Walding was joined by other veterans from the 22Kill group, who presented Trump with an “honor ring�?, a black band worn on someone’s right index finger that pays tribute to the 22 veterans who reportedly kill themselves every day. Eventually, Trump returned to stage in the company of YouTube celebrity Trump supporters Diamond and Silk, proclaiming “this is a special night for me�? as he told attendees, “we just cracked $6m raised.�? This, in contrast to the Trump foundation’s donations of a mere $57,000 (out of $5.5m) to veterans causes in the past four years. Winding the event down, Trump boasted that a list of the groups set to receive the money was posted outside and were all very carefully chosen. The list did not appear to be visibly posted at the event, although his campaign eventually emailed it to reporters. Trump then closed the hour-long event by telling his pregnant daughter: “It would be so great if you had your baby in Iowa! It would be so great – I would win�?. Both as a vaudeville show and a political rally, Trump’s event was lacking. There were no musical numbers nor were there any jugglers, although Trump certainly tap danced around addressing any substantive issues of policy. And while he got in a few jabs at Jeb Bush and rolled his eyes at the obligatory protesters who shouted “we loved veterans, Trump loves war,�? it didn’t have the trademark fireworks of a Trump rally. Instead it was, to use a favorite Trump phrase, “low energy�?. While, just over three miles away, Republicans sparred over policy and cast sharp jabs at each other, Trump committed the ultimate sin in show business: he was boring. \|\|\|\|\| A jovial and relaxed Trump shared the stage with his friends and GOP presidential rivals, and at one point left the stage for about half an hour to allow several wounded veterans to share their stories and urge struggling veterans to seek help. ADVERTISEMENT “Isn’t that better than this debate that’s going on where they’re all sleeping?” the business mogul said after retaking the stage. “They’re all sleeping. They’re all sleeping. Everybody.” It was a subdued and unexpected spectacle that ended several days of high drama over whether Trump would carry out his threat to skip the final presidential debate before the Iowa caucuses. His decision to largely eschew politics at the rally, and instead to focus on the wounded veterans he was purportedly there to support, could help mute criticism that he was playing politics with the nation’s soldiers. That’s not to say Trump completely ignored politics. After saying he wouldn’t talk about the polls, Trump couldn’t help but tick through how well he was doing in every national and early-state survey. He ran through his standard insults of opponant Jeb Bush and took aim at Fox News, which has emerged as his primary nemesis over the last few days. “I didn’t want to be here, I have to be honest,” Trump said of the debate as he kicked off the rally at Drake University. “I wanted to be about five minutes away [at the GOP debate] … but you have to stick up for your rights. When you’re treated badly, you have to stick up to your rights … and it’s something our country needs to do.” The real estate magnate's decision to skip the debate and instead hold a fundraiser for wounded veterans was a bold and controversial move that shocked the political world and left analysts scrambling to make sense of what it could mean for the party front-runner in Iowa just four days before the caucuses. "Is it for me personally a good thing, a bad thing, will I get more votes, less votes?" Trump asked. "Nope. Who the hell knows, but it’s for our vets and we raised over $5 million so that’s not so bad." He later claimed the sum was closer to $6 million, and that $1 million of it was his own. The move was also a significant escalation of Trump’s feud with Fox News. He's been at war with anchor Megyn Kelly, believing she mistreated him at the first Republican debate in August when she challenged him on his past remarks as being derogatory toward women. On Thursday night during Trump’s rally, Kelly was moderating the GOP debate. The tipping point for Trump this week seemed to be a snarky press release that Fox News sent to several media outlets, mocking him for threatening to skip the debate and questioning how he’d stare down hostile world leaders like Russian President Vladmir Putin if he was willing to walk away from a fight with Kelly. Trump claims top Fox executives have since apologized to him, but said it was too late to cancel his competing rally. “Fox has been extremely nice, the last number of hours actually, and they’ve wanted me there, they called a few minutes ago and said how about now?” Trump said. “They wanted me to go and they apologized and all that … but once this started, there was nothing I could do.” Some have speculated that he's skipping the debate as an attempt to run out the clock. Late polling out of Iowa shows Trump pulling away from Ted Cruz, his closest competitor in the state, giving him little incentive to go head-to-head with the Texas senator this late in the game. Regardless, Trump ensured that the spotlight was squarely on him in the final hours before votes are cast in the Hawkeye State. The move ensured that Trump would dominate headlines this week and it deprived the other White House hopefuls of much-needed oxygen before the caucuses. Several GOP contenders sought to position themselves to gain from Trump’s radical decision to skip the debate. The past two winners of the Iowa caucuses, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, both of whom barely register in the polls, attended the event after participating in Fox's undercard debate. Both were invited onstage and paid tribute to the veterans as Trump looked on. “Let me be very clear,” Huckabee said. “Rick Santorum, Donald Trump and I may be competitors in a presidential race, but tonight we are colleagues in unison standing here for the … veterans of the United States of America." "The easy thing for him to do is to ignore that anyone else cares about our vets. … It says something about him that he’d bring us here.” - Updated at 10:32 p.m.	– Donald Trump says his Thursday night charity rally for veterans was a big success—and not just because it had "more cameras" than the Fox debate. After the Drake University event—which the Guardian likens to an old-time vaudeville show with entertainers replaced by veterans and Rick Santorum—Trump announced that it had raised $6 million for injured veterans, including $1 million of his own money, the Hill reports. "We raised $6,000,000.00 while the politicians talked," tweeted Trump, referring to the GOP debate that took place just a few miles away from his Iowa rally. His campaign has provided a list of organizations that will receive the money, reports the Guardian, which notes that according to a recent Forbes analysis, just $57,000 of the $5.5 million the Donald J. Trump Foundation donated to 298 charities over four years went to groups that help wounded veterans. Before the debate, Fox issued a statement saying that Trump had demanded a $5 million charity donation in return for appearing, and it "explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason."
POMPTON PLAINS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Pictures from a cemetery in Morris County show what police say is a local florist stealing flowers. CBS2’s Dave Carlin spoke exclusively to the woman Friday. Flowers, plants and keepsakes left by loved ones in the light of day at First Reformed Church Cemetery in Pompton Plains were disappearing overnight. That prompted Pequonnock police to set up a trap with cameras that caught photos of a woman taking fresh flowers and other items and loading them into a van. Investigators say that woman is 59-year-old Lynda Wingate, who owns a nearby flower shop. “You’re innocent until proven guilty,” Wingate told Carlin outside the police station. Wingate is charged with theft of movable property. “My entire life doing the right thing, doing nothing but charity work,” she said. She insisted she is not guilty. “That’s as much as I want to say at this point,” Wingate said. Police Capt. Christopher DePuyt said he just wants the thefts to stop. “It’s not the crime of the century by any stretch, but it is preying on people who have suffered a loss,” he said. And investigators say the plot thickens, that Wingate used to work at the Riverdale Police Department, one town over, as a dispatcher. Police there were able to help identify her quickly, DePuyt said. “Three officers in fact recognized her right away,” DePuyt said. Residents say taking things from gravesites is low down. “It’s just kind of bizarre,” said Colette Lutter, of Bloomfield. “What’s the mindset behind that?” Wingate said things often disappear from cemeteries. “I go through this at my mom’s grave all the time,” she said. “Anything we put on, they’re gone.” Wingate will face a judge in the coming weeks. \|\|\|\|\| CLOSE A woman who allegedly has been stealing flowers for months from a Pequannock church cemetery has been identified by police as a florist in neighboring Riverdale. IPHONE VIDEO BY WILLIAM WESTHOVEN APRIL 28, 2017 William Westhoven Pequannock police say former police dispatcher owns shop in Riverdale Pequannock police provided this photo of Lynda S. Wingate, who they charged with stealing flowers and plants from a township church cemetery. (Photo: Pequannock Police) A woman who allegedly has been stealing flowers and plants for months from a Pequannock church cemetery was identified on Friday as a former township police dispatcher who now owns a flower shop in Riverdale, according to a township police report. Lynda S. Wingate, 59, of Riverdale was arrested and charged with theft of movable property, Capt. Christopher DePuyt wrote in a statement published on his department's website. Following several months of reports that flowers, plants and other items that have been stolen from graves at the First Reformed Church Cemetery in Pompton Plains, Det. Kevin Ricciardi, assisted by other members of the detective bureau, initiated an investigation. As part of that investigation, police replacing two plants in front of an ash columbarium and installed surveillance cameras in the area on April 21. Pequannock police allege that this surveillance photo shows Riverdale flower shop owner Lynda S. Wingate stealing flowers and plants from a township church cemetery. (Photo: Pequannock Police) Two days later, the cemetery property managers told detectives that the plants were missing. The detectives viewed video and still photos from the surveillance cameras and observed a woman approach the location in a silver minivan, exit the vehicle and remove the plants. Discussion with members of the Riverdale Police Department led to the positive identification of the suspect from video as Wingate, owner of Lyncrafts and Floral Designs in Riverdale. After processing, Wingate was released pending an appearance in municipal court. No allegations were made that Wingate resold the stolen items at her shop A call to Lyncrafts was forwarded to another number and a voicemail left there was not immediately returned. Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannnettNJ.com. Read or Share this story: http://dailyre.co/2qftMTQ \|\|\|\|\| PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP, N.J. –– A flower shop owner and former police dispatcher has been arrested for allegedly stealing flowers and plants from graves at a New Jersey cemetery, police said Friday. For months, police in Pequannock Township received reports of items being stolen from the First Reformed Church Cemetery in Pompton Plains, which is directly across the street from police headquarters. Detectives set up a surveillance camera to catch the thief and replaced two missing plants in front of a structure holding cremated remains with the hope of luring the culprit in. The cameras were installed on April 21. Two days later, the cemetery property manager called police. The plants were gone. Investigators reviewed still images from the surveillance camera and watched as a woman drove up to the ash columbarium in a silver minivan, exited the vehicle and snatched the plants, police said. They were going to share the images with the general public to see if anyone recognized the suspect. But they wanted to set up a better camera to see if they could capture more high-quality images first. So they visited Riverdale Police, to borrow their camera. When they showed their colleagues from the next town what they had, officers there recognized the suspect instantly. “They knew who it was right away,” said Pequannock Police Captain Christopher Depuyt. Lynda S. Wingate, 59, of Riverdale used to be a Riverdale Police dispatcher. Pequannock Police called her down to the station where detectives interviewed her. Wingate claimed that she was simply tidying up around tombstones of people whom she knew, said police. “It just simply wasn’t the case. We just had those flowers placed there,” said Capt. Depuyt said. “We just had flowers placed there two days prior. These weren’t old flowers. They weren’t garbage ready to be thrown out.” Wingate is due to make her first municipal court appearance on May 8th. If found guilty, she could face a fine or community service. Jail time is possible, but unlikely, said police.	– A florist caught on camera stealing flowers from a New Jersey cemetery told police she was just trying to "tidy up." Lynda Wingate, a 59-year-old former police dispatcher, was arrested after police investigating months of reports of flowers being stolen at the First Reformed Church Cemetery in Pompton Plains set up a surveillance camera, the Daily Record reports. They replaced previously stolen flowers in front of a columbarium at the cemetery, which is directly across from police headquarters. After those plants disappeared as well, police reviewed the grainy footage and saw a woman driving up in a minivan and removing the plants. Officers say they visited the police force in neighboring Riverdale to borrow a camera that would allow them to obtain better-quality images, but officers there quickly identified the woman captured on film as the former dispatcher, who now owns Lyncrafts and Floral Designs, Pix11 reports. Pequannock Police Captain Christopher Depuyt says he's not buying her claim to have been tidying up near the graves of people she knew. "We just had those flowers placed there," he says. "They weren’t garbage ready to be thrown out." Police, who have not found evidence that Wingate resold the stolen flowers, say she will probably receive a fine and community service. Wingate told CBS New York that flowers vanish from her own mother's grave regularly, then noted "You're innocent until proven guilty." (This cemetery-related crime was a much more extreme one.)
Firefighters were left "seriously unimpressed" after spending an hour freeing a YouTuber whose head had been "cemented" into a microwave. Jay Swingler, 22, became stuck after filling the oven with Polyfilla and then sticking his head in it, which was wrapped in a plastic bag. The unplugged microwave was being used as a mould in the stunt, but the mixture soon set and friends became concerned as Swingler struggled breathe through the plastic tube he was using for air. The group had already spent an hour and a half trying to free the YouTuber when five firefighters from the West Midlands Fire Service arrived at the address in Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, on Wednesday. \|\|\|\|\| Image copyright West Midlands Fire Service Image caption Crews took an hour to free the man An internet "prankster" had to be freed by firefighters after cementing his head inside a microwave oven. West Midlands Fire Service said it took an hour to free the man after they were called to a house in Fordhouses, Wolverhampton. Friends had managed to feed an air tube into the 22-year-old's mouth to help him breathe, the service said. Watch Commander Shaun Dakin said the man "could quite easily have suffocated or have been seriously injured". Image copyright West Midlands Fire Service Image caption The fire service said the mixture had been poured around the man's head, which was protected by a plastic bag Mr Dakin said: "He and a group of friends had mixed seven bags of Polyfilla which they then poured around his head, which was protected by a plastic bag inside the microwave. "The oven was being used as a mould and wasn't plugged in. The mixture quickly set hard and, by the time we were called, they'd already been trying to free him for an hour and a half." Crews from the technical rescue team helped with taking the microwave apart, he added. "It took us nearly an hour to free him," added Mr Dakin. "All of the group involved were very apologetic, but this was clearly a call-out which might have prevented us from helping someone else in genuine, accidental need."	– There's stupid, there's extremely stupid, and then there's "cementing your head inside a microwave" stupid. Firefighters in Wolverhampton, England, say they were "seriously unimpressed" after five of them had to spend an hour dealing with a case of the latter Thursday, the BBC reports. The West Midlands Fire Service says a 22-year-old man it describes as a "YouTube prankster" and his friends poured several bags of a fast-hardening product into an unplugged microwave oven they were using as a mold around the man's head, which was protected by a plastic bag. Firefighters say that by the time they were called, the man's friends had been trying to free him for 90 minutes and had given him an air tube to help him breathe. Firefighters had to call a technical rescue team for help freeing the man, which involved taking apart the microwave and very carefully removing the cement, using a screwdriver. "As funny as this sounds, this young man could quite easily have suffocated or have been seriously injured," says Watch Commander Shaun Dakin, per the Telegraph. "All of the group involved were very apologetic, but this was clearly a call-out which might have prevented us from helping someone else in genuine, accidental need."
President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey triggered a blizzard of reactions Wednesday from lawmakers and the White House. Photo: Getty WASHINGTON—In the weeks before President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, a federal investigation into potential collusion between Trump associates and the Russian government was heating up, as Mr. Comey became increasingly occupied with the probe. Mr. Comey started receiving daily instead of weekly updates on the investigation, beginning at least three weeks ago, according to people with knowledge of the matter and the progress of the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe. Mr. Comey was concerned by information... \|\|\|\|\| Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. \|\|\|\|\| FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2015 file photo, FBI Director James Comey prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump abruptly fired Comey May 9, 2017, dramatically ousting the nation's... (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and FBI Director James Comey's firing (all times local): 12:25 p.m. Three U.S. officials say fired FBI Director James Comey told lawmakers that he asked the Justice Department for more money for the bureau's investigation into Russia's election meddling. President Donald Trump fired Comey Tuesday. The officials say Comey told lawmakers he had made the request to Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. The Justice Department is denying that Comey asked for more resources. The White House has wielded a critical memo from Rosenstein to justify President Donald Trump's decision to fire Comey on Tuesday. Rosenstein's memo focused only on Comey's handling of last year's investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices. It does not mention the Russia investigation. The officials were not authorized to disclose the meetings publicly and insisted on anonymity. -By Julie Pace and Eileen Sullivan __ 12:10 p.m. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) says it is "humiliating" for the American people to hear that Russia is controlling the political situation in the U.S. Lavrov is speaking at the Russian Embassy in Washington after meetings with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He said Wednesday that politicians raising questions about Russian interference in the election are damaging the U.S. political system by suggesting that it is being controlled externally. Lavrov is brushing off the questions as "noise" about Russians' contacts with people in Trump's campaign. He says through a translator that "there is not a single fact" or piece of compelling evidence proving Russia's intervention in the election. Lavrov is pointing out that Trump dismisses the controversy as "false news." ___ 11:45 a.m. President Donald Trump says ousted FBI Director James Comey "was not doing a good job." It was Trump's first public remarks about his firing Tuesday of the FBI chief. Trump briefly spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday after a closed meeting with Russia's foreign minister. His remarks come as the White House is defending the decision to dismiss Comey. Administration officials have said the firing was not related to the investigation into possible contacts between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. Trump was joined by Henry Kissinger, former secretary of state and national security adviser under President Richard Nixon. __ 11:20 a.m. The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says there's no need for a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's ties to the Trump campaign in the wake of the firing of the FBI director. GOP Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina says his committee has the jurisdiction and responsibility to continue its Russia investigation and "we are going to do that." However Burr reiterated questions about President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. "The timing of this and the reasoning for it doesn't make sense to me." And, Burr said that the firing "made our task a little more difficult but it didn't make it impossible so we'll continue." Burr said he spoke to Trump but wouldn't detail the exchange. He said they didn't discuss his committee's investigation __ 11:12 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence is defending the firing of FBI Director James Comey, saying the "president made the right decision at the right time." He said Comey's firing was not related to the investigation into possible contacts between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. Pence says the administration is now looking forward to finding someone to lead the law enforcement agency. President Donald Trump fired Comey on Tuesday. Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, criticized Comey's handling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email practices. Pence says Comey had lost the confidence of the American people. He says Trump took "strong and decisive leadership" to put the safety and security of the American people first. __ 11:05 a.m. The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee says President Donald Trump told her that he was firing FBI Director James Comey because "the department is a mess." California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she was surprised and taken aback after Trump called her and other senators to deliver the news shortly before the White House announced Comey's dismissal Tuesday. Feinstein says she questions the reasoning and timing behind Trump's decision and asked the GOP-led committee to bring in Justice Department officials to explain it. She said what "sticks in her mind" is a classified briefing Comey delivered in March in which he laid out counterintelligence and criminal investigations the FBI is conducting into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. She said it's clear "the FBI was taking its job seriously." __ 10:45 a.m. The Senate's Russia investigators are asking the Treasury Department's criminal investigation division for any information relevant to President Donald Trump, his top aides and campaign officials. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told CNN that the request is part of the panel's effort to "follow the intel no matter where it leads." Warner's office confirmed the senator's comments. The Senate intelligence committee is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible ties between Trump associates and the Russian government. The House intelligence committee is conducting a parallel investigation. ___ 10:25 a.m. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Russia is not concerned about Comey's firing. When asked how Comey's sacking could influence Russia-U.S. ties, Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday: "This is the U.S. president's sovereign decision which does not have anything to do with Russia and should not have anything to do with Russia." Russian state television network Rossiya 24 referred to President Richard Nixon's firing of independent special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the Watergate scandal. It said that "the story with Comey is different." Comey, it said, "played a good cop and fell into a trap he had set for himself." Senior Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov tweeted that Comey "kept an eye on the 'Russian threat' so hard that he did not notice the threat of his own sacking." Another senior lawmaker, Konstantin Kosachev, rejected suggestions that Comey's sacking could have a Russian link. "The 'Russian trail' is hardly there and definitely could not have been the underlying cause for the firing of such a prominent player on the Washington scene," Kosachev told the Interfax news agency. "Because this trail is merely a tool in the domestic political game and Trump's stakes are more than just about the Russia issue." __ 10:20 a.m. A Justice Department official says Attorney General Jeff Sessions is interviewing candidates to serve as the interim replacement for fired FBI Director James Comey. Comey's deputy, FBI veteran Andrew McCabe, has become acting director after Comey was fired by President Donald Trump. But a Justice Department official says senior leaders are interviewing additional candidates who could do the job until a permanent replacement for Comey is named and confirmed by the Senate. An announcement about Comey's interim successor could come as soon as Wednesday. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the selection process by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. ___ 10 a.m. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is asking that Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy appear before the Senate to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding President Donald Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey. The New York Democrat said Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should discuss why Sessions participated in the decision to fire Comey despite recusing himself and whether Rosenstein acted on his own when recommending Comey's dismissal or whether he was order to do so by the White House. Schumer also repeated his call for a special counsel to investigate ties between Trump's campaign and the Russian government. He also said the administration should answer why the president didn't wait until the Justice Department's inspector general issued a report on Comey's much-criticized actions regarding the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. ___ 9:50 a.m. Amid Democratic calls for a special prosecutor, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says a new investigation of Russia meddling could only serve to impede the current probes underway. McConnell spoke on the Senate floor as Democratic senators gathered to try to pressure the GOP over President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. McConnell didn't give his own view on Trump's decision to fire Comey. But he noted that Democrats had repeatedly criticized Comey in the past, and had called for his removal. Following McConnell on the floor, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for a special prosecutor. But McConnell said: "Today we'll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation which could only serve to impede the current work being done." The Senate and House intelligence committees are investigating Russian meddling in the presidential election and Russian ties to the Trump campaign. ___ 9:40 a.m. Sen. Lindsey Graham says he doesn't believe a special prosecutor should be considered unless the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's possible connections to Russia becomes a criminal matter. It's now a counterintelligence investigation. The South Carolina Republican says if it becomes "a criminal investigation where the Trump campaign may be exposed to criminal charges, then that's the time to have that conversation." Graham says he's confident the FBI's investigation won't be hampered by President Donald Trump's firing of the bureau's director, James Comey. ___ 9:30 a.m. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says Moscow isn't concerned about the firing of the FBI director. Dmitry Peskov says Russia hopes that President Donald Trump's decision to fire the FBI's James Comey won't affect U.S.-Russia ties "in any way." Peskov calls it "an entirely domestic matter" for the United States. ___ 9:10 a.m. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is reacting sarcastically to questions about President Donald Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey. Lavrov and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were asked during a photo-op whether Comey's firing cast a shadow over the meeting between the two diplomats. Lavrov said: "Was he fired? You're kidding. You're kidding." Then the Russian diplomat waved his hand dismissively and exited the room alongside Tillerson. The meeting comes amid growing concerns about Trump's decision to fire the head of the law enforcement agency investigating Russian interference in the U.S. election and possible collusion by Trump's campaign. Lavrov is scheduled to meet later Wednesday with Trump at the White House. __ 8:50 a.m. President Donald Trump is attacking Sen. Richard Blumenthal for criticizing his firing of FBI Director James Comey. The Connecticut Democrat appeared on MSNBC and CNN Wednesday morning. On CNN, Blumenthal said that the firing had prompted a "looming constitutional crisis." Trump tweeted Wednesday that he was watching Blumenthal speak, calling it a "joke." He criticized Blumenthal for past statements that he served in Vietnam, saying he "would talk of his great bravery and conquests in Vietnam - except he was never there." Trump said that Blumenthal "cried like a baby" when caught and that he should be investigated. Trump has previously attacked Blumenthal over statements that he served in Vietnam. Blumenthal was in the Marine Corps Reserves at the time but did not fight in Vietnam. __ 7:40 a.m. President Donald Trump says that Republicans and Democrats will soon "be thanking me" for firing FBI Director James Comey. Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning that Comey had "lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike." He added: "when things calm down, they will be thanking me!" Trump abruptly fired Comey Tuesday night. The surprise decision came amid the law enforcement agency's investigation into whether Trump's presidential campaign was connected to Russian meddling in the election. __ 7:24 a.m. President Donald Trump says fired FBI Director James Comey "will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI." In an early-morning tweet Wednesday, Trump attacked Democrats critical of his firing of Comey. Trump said that Democrats "have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!" Trump abruptly fired Comey in the midst of the law enforcement agency's investigation into whether Trump's presidential campaign was connected to Russian meddling in the election. ___ 4:40 a.m. Amid the clamor surrounding the firing of FBI Director James Comey, President Donald Trump singled out one another Washington fixture for his scorn. The president went to his Twitter account late Tuesday to chide Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, for comments the Democrat made about the stunning dismissal. Trump had telephoned Schumer earlier to inform him of the decision. Schumer said he told Trump that "you are making a big mistake." Schumer also questioned why the firing occurred on Tuesday and wondered whether investigations into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia were "getting too close for the president." He said unless a special prosecutor is named, Americans could rightfully wonder whether the move was "part of a cover-up." Trump fired back with a tweet exclaiming: "Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, 'I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.' Then acts so indignant." ___ 3:35 a.m. President Donald Trump's stunning firing of FBI Director James Comey throws into question the future of a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign's possible connections to Russia. It immediately raised suspicions of an underhanded effort to stymie a probe that has shadowed the administration from the outset. Democrats likened the firing to President Richard Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre" and renewed calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor, and some Republicans also questioned the move. In his letter to Comey, Trump said the firing was necessary to restore "public trust and confidence" in the FBI. The administration paired the letter with a scathing review by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein of how Comey handled the investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices, including his decision to hold a news conference announcing its findings and releasing "derogatory information" about Clinton. __ 11:05 p.m. FBI Director James Comey was speaking to agents at the FBI's field office in Los Angeles when the news of his firing broke. That's according to a law enforcement official who was present at the time Tuesday. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to discuss the situation publicly. The official says television screens in the field office began flashing the news, and Comey initially chuckled. But he continued to speak to the agents, finishing his speech before heading into an office. He did not reappear in the main room. Comey later left Los Angeles on a plane to return to Washington. —By Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles \|\|\|\|\| With a lot of the speculation that the firing of James Comey was about more than his handling of the Clinton e-mail scandal, here is more news that won’t look good: Breaking News: Days before his firing, Comey asked the Justice Dept. for more money for the FBI inquiry into Russia https://t.co/K33pJO300n — The New York Times (@nytimes) May 10, 2017 Days before he was fired, James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in money and personnel for the bureau’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election, according to three officials with knowledge of his request. Mr. Comey asked for the resources during a meeting last week with Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who wrote the Justice Department’s memo that was used to justify the firing of the F.B.I. director this week. Again, that Comey was fired because of the Russia probe instead of the Clinton scandal is just speculation. However, with a media that is not friendly to the Trump Administration, and with the number of leaks this administration has produced, the best case scenario is that Trump’s timing was bad. UPDATED: The Department of Justice has denied the claim. \|\|\|\|\| President Donald Trump weighed firing his FBI director for more than a week. When he finally pulled the trigger Tuesday afternoon, he didn’t call James Comey. He sent his longtime private security guard to deliver the termination letter in a manila folder to FBI headquarters. He had grown enraged by the Russia investigation, two advisers said, frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia. He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn’t disappear and demanded they speak out for him. He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said. Story Continued Below Trump’s firing of the high-profile FBI director on the 110th day after the president took office marked another sudden turn for an administration that has fired its acting attorney general, national security adviser and now its FBI director, whom Trump had praised until recent weeks and even blew a kiss to during a January appearance. The news stunned Comey, who saw news of his dismissal on TV while speaking inside the FBI office in Los Angeles. It startled all but the uppermost ring of White House advisers, who said grumbling about Comey hadn’t dominated their own morning senior staff meetings. Other top officials learned just before it happened and were unaware Trump was considering firing Comey. “Nobody really knew,” one senior White House official said. “Our phones all buzzed and people said, ‘What?’” By ousting the FBI director investigating his campaign and associates, Trump may have added more fuel to the fire he is furiously trying to contain — and he was quickly criticized by a chorus of Republicans and Democrats. “The timing of this firing was very troubling,” said Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican. The most reliable politics newsletter. Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning — in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. Trump had grown angry with the Russia investigation — particularly Comey admitting in front of the Senate that the FBI was investigating his campaign — and that the FBI director wouldn’t support his claims that President Barack Obama had tapped his phones in Trump Tower. Bipartisan criticism of Comey had mounted since last summer after the director delivered a lengthy statement outlining why no charges would be brought against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server. But the fallout seemed to take the White House by surprise. Trump made a round of calls around 5 p.m., asking for support from senators. White House officials believed it would be a “win-win” because Republicans and Democrats alike had had problems with the FBI director, one person briefed on the administration’s deliberations said. Instead, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told him he was making a big mistake — and Trump seemed “taken aback,” according to a person familiar with the call. By Tuesday evening, the president was watching the coverage of his decision and frustrated no one was on TV defending him, a White House official said. He wanted surrogates out there beating the drum. Instead, advisers were attacking one another for not realizing the gravity of the situation as events blew up. “How are you not defending your position for three solid hours on TV?” the White House aide asked. Two White House officials said there was little communications strategy in handling the firing, and that staffers were given talking points late Tuesday for hastily arranged media appearances. Aides soon circulated previous quotes from Schumer hitting Comey. After Schumer called for a special prosecutor, the White House huddled in press secretary Sean Spicer’s office to devise a strategy and sent “fresh faces” to TV, one White House official said. By Tuesday night, aides were using TV appearances to spin the firing as a simple bureaucratic matter and call for an end to the investigation. “It’s time to move on,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the deputy press secretary, said on Fox News. In his letter dismissing Comey, Trump said the FBI director had given him three private assurances that he wasn’t under investigation. The White House declined to say when those conversations happened — or why Comey would volunteer such information. It is not the first time Trump has publicly commented on an ongoing investigation — typically a no-no for presidents. He said earlier this month that Comey had done Clinton a favor by letting her off easy. Trump received letters from Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, and Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, calling for Comey’s dismissal, on Tuesday, a spokesman said. The president then decided to fire the FBI director based on the recommendations and moved quickly. The spokesman said Trump did not ask for the letters in advance, and that White House officials had no idea they were coming. But several other people familiar with the events said Trump had talked about the firing for more than a week, and the letters were written to give him a rationale for firing Comey. The decision marked a turnabout for Trump. On the campaign trail, the candidate led chants of “Lock her up!” and praised Comey’s “guts” in October for reopening the probe into her email server. He joked openly with Comey at the White House two days after the inauguration. Trump, one White House official said, believed Comey was too soft on Clinton — not too unfair, as Rosenstein’s letter Tuesday indicated. At FBI headquarters, one senior official said the bureau was essentially in lockdown, not answering calls flooding in and referring all questions to the Justice Department. “I got nothing for you. Sorry,” said the official. “We were caught totally off guard. But we are not commenting in any kind of way, and referring calls to DOJ.” Comey had flown on an FBI plane to Los Angeles for a “diversity and recruiting” event. Trump’s director of Oval Office operations, longtime security aide Keith Schiller, hand-delivered the dismissal letter to FBI headquarters. By Tuesday evening, the shock that had spread throughout the ranks of current and former FBI officials was mixed with a growing sense of anger among the many Comey loyalists, and demands for answers as to why the director had been fired — and why now. “We just have no idea why this happened. No idea,” said one recently retired top FBI official who worked closely with Comey on many high-profile investigations. “No one knew this was coming. Everyone is just shocked that this happened.” There was no immediate front-runner for the vacancy, one White House official said. “If there’s a list, I haven’t seen it,” said one senior White House official. While shock dominated much of the FBI and the White House, the mood at Roger Stone’s house in Florida was one of elation. Several Stone allies and friends said Stone, a Trump associate who has been frequently mentioned in the investigation, encouraged the president to fire Comey in conversations in recent weeks. On Twitter, Stone signaled praise for the move by posting an image of Trump from “The Apprentice” saying, “You’re fired.” Stone declined to comment Tuesday night but said he was enjoying a fine cigar. Josh Meyer, Tara Palmeri and Annie Karni contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| Before President Donald Trump abruptly fired him on Tuesday, former FBI Director James Comey had requested additional funding and staffing for the agency’s investigation into Russia’s influence on the 2016 election, multiple sources reported Wednesday. This news provides a possible explanation for the timing of Trump’s stunning decision. Comey met last week with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, after the Senate Intelligence Committee had asked the FBI director to accelerate the bureau’s investigation. Rosenstein wrote a memo that provided Trump’s reasoning for firing Comey on Tuesday night, titled “Restoring Public Confidence in the FBI.” Rosenstein wrote that he had recommended Comey be fired because the director “made serious mistakes” in how he handled Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s private emails. Sarah Isgur Flores, the Justice Department’s top spokeswoman, told HuffPost that the reports regarding Comey asking for more money were “totally false.” Trump did not offer an explanation for Comey’s sudden dismissal, telling reporters on Wednesday that he’d fired the director simply “because he was not doing a good job.”	– The White House says President Trump fired the FBI's James Comey over his handling of Hillary Clinton's email trouble. Critics, however, think it's fishy that Trump just happened to get rid of the man leading the investigation into Russian meddling in the election. Now, a new report from the New York Times won't help Trump's case with those critics: It says Comey asked the Justice Department for "a significant increase in resources" to expand the Russia investigation just before he got fired. Here's a look: The meeting: Comey went to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last week with the request. (Remember that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from the Russia inquiry.) Days later, Rosenstein wrote the Justice Department memo being used to justify Comey's firing, though that memo focuses on the Clinton emails and doesn't mention Russia, notes the AP. Denial: A Justice Department spokesperson tells HuffPost that Comey did not ask Rosenstein for more money, but she did not elaborate on whether he asked for other resources, such as manpower. The optics: "The timing of Mr. Comey’s request is not clear-cut evidence that his firing was related to the Russia investigation," says the Times in its assessment. "But it is certain to fuel bipartisan criticism that President Trump appeared to be meddling in an investigation that had the potential to damage his presidency." The briefing: Comey briefed members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on his request Monday, the day before he was fired, reports the Washington Post, which adds that the status of the FBI investigation is now unclear. The optics, take II: That Comey got the boot over Russia is all speculation, observes Joe Cunningham at the conservative RedState. "However, with a media that is not friendly to the Trump Administration, and with the number of leaks this administration has produced, the best case scenario is that Trump’s timing was bad." Another sign: CNN reports on what it sees as another "significant escalation" of the Russia investigation before Comey's firing: Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to associates of ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who is accused among other things of failing to report business dealings in Russia. 'Enraged': Politico reports that Trump pondered the firing for more than a week as he grew "enraged" at the ever-expanding Russia investigation. "He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said." New Trump comments: In his first (non-Twitter) comments on the firing, Trump said Wednesday that he acted because Comey "was not doing a good job," per the Wall Street Journal.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has turned away appeals from the National Rifle Association which complained about resistance by governments and judges to the high court's recent seminal rulings declaring that Americans have a constitutional right to own a gun. The justices on Monday let stand rulings that upheld a federal law that prevents young adults ages 18-20 from purchasing a handgun or ammunition from a licensed federal firearms dealer and a Texas regulation that prohibits most 18-to-20 year olds from carrying a handgun outside the home. The NRA said the laws make it difficult, if not impossible, for young adults to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The court did not comment in denying the appeals. \|\|\|\|\| WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will not block Virginia from retrying an accused drug dealer, whose earlier capital murder conviction was set aside because of misconduct by prosecutors. The justices on Monday rejected an appeal by Justin Wolfe, who said the prosecutors' misdeeds were so serious that they precluded a fair second trial. A federal judge agreed with Wolfe and had ordered his immediate release, but the federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., said the new trial could be held fairly. Wolfe was sent to death row in 2002 for a drug-related murder, but his original conviction and sentence were overturned. \|\|\|\|\| A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington December 3, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Monday declined to wade into the politically volatile issue of gun control by leaving intact three court rulings rejecting challenges to federal and state laws. The court’s decision not to hear the cases represented a loss for gun rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, which was behind two of the challenges. The first case involved a challenge by the NRA to a Texas law that prevents 18-20 year olds from carrying handguns in public. It also raised the broader question of whether there is a broad right under the Second Amendment to bear arms in public. The second NRA case was a challenge to several federal laws and regulations, dating back to 1968, that make it illegal for firearms dealers to sell guns or ammunition to anyone under 21. The third case was on the narrow question of whether consumers have the legal right to challenge laws that regulate the sale of firearms. The challenge to a federal law that restricts the interstate transport of guns, and a related Virginia law, were filed by several District of Columbia residents who wished to obtain guns via neighboring Virginia. The court has yet to decide whether there is a right to carry guns in public, a question left unanswered in its two most recent gun-related decisions. In the 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller case, the court held that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guaranteed an individual right to bear arms. Two years later in McDonald v. City of Chicago, the court held that the earlier ruling applied to the states. \|\|\|\|\| WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is squaring off at the Supreme Court with industry groups and Republican-led states over a small but important program aimed at limiting power-plant and factory emissions of gases blamed for global warming. FILE - This Oct. 15, 2013, file photo shows the Supreme Court in Washington the day the court's justices said they would be reviewing whether or not the Environmental Protection Agency overstepped its... (Associated Press) The justices are hearing arguments Monday in a challenge to a regulation that forces companies that want to expand industrial facilities or build new ones that would increase overall pollution to evaluate ways to reduce the carbon they release. Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas. The case comes to the court as President Barack Obama is stepping up his use of executive authority to act on environmental and other matters when Congress doesn't, or won't. Opponents of the Environmental Protection Agency's program at issue call it a power grab of historic proportions. Republicans have objected strenuously to the administration's decision to push ahead with the regulations after Congress failed to pass climate legislation, and after the administration of President George W. Bush resisted such steps. Both sides agree that it would have been better to deal with climate change through legislation. In 2012, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit concluded that the EPA was "unambiguously correct" in using existing federal law to address global warming. Monday's case, for which the court has expanded argument time to 90 minutes from the usual 60, stems from the high court's 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, which said the agency has the authority under the Clean Air Act to limit emissions of greenhouse gases from vehicles. Two years later, with Obama in office, the EPA concluded that the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases endangered human health and welfare. The administration used that finding to extend its regulatory reach beyond automobiles and develop national standards for large stationary sources. Of those, electric plants are the largest source of emissions. The administration has proposed first-time national standards for new power plants and expects to propose regulations for existing plants this summer. It will then move on to other large stationary sources such as factories. In the meantime, the only way EPA can compel companies to address global warming pollution is through a permitting program that requires them to analyze the best available technologies to reduce carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas. The utility industry, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 13 states led by Texas are asking the court to rule that the EPA overstepped its authority by trying to regulate greenhouse gas emissions through the permitting program. The EPA's actions "represent one of the boldest seizures of legislative authority by an executive agency in history," Peter Keisler, representing the American Chemistry Council among two dozen manufacturing and industry groups that want the court to throw out the rule, said in court papers. In addition to environmental groups, New York, California, Illinois and a dozen other states are supporting the administration, along with the American Thoracic Society, which filed a brief detailing the health costs of climate change. Also in support of the regulation is Calpine Corp., which operates natural gas and geothermal power plants around the nation. Calpine said it has gone through the permitting program six times and found it "neither overly burdensome nor unworkable." Looking at the same program, the Chamber of Commerce said it "may be the costliest, most intrusive regulatory program the nation has yet seen." ___ Follow Mark Sherman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shermancourt \|\|\|\|\| WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will not disturb the criminal conviction of a New York man whose underground poker game ran afoul of a federal anti-gambling law. The justices on Monday rejected an appeal from Lawrence DiCristina, who said his twice-a-week games of Texas Hold 'em should not be covered by the federal Illegal Gambling Businesses Act. DiCristina said the law targets games of chance, like lotteries, slot machines and dice, but not poker, which is a game of skill. Bridge and Scrabble players weighed in on DiCristina's behalf, worrying they could be targeted under a federal appeals court's expansive interpretation of the law. At least three justices, Elena Kagan, Antonin Scalia and Sonia Sotomayor, like to play poker.	– In a blow to the NRA, the Supreme Court has opted not to hear a trio of cases challenging federal and state gun laws. Two involved NRA-backed challenges to laws limiting gun rights for people under 21, Reuters reports. One of those was a Texas law banning 18- to 20-year-olds from publicly carrying guns; the other addressed decades-old laws against gun sales to those under 21. A third case involved consumers' ability to challenge gun-sale laws. The high court didn't offer comment on its rejection of the cases, the AP notes. In other court news: Justices rejected an alleged drug lord's appeal against a Virginia retrial for capital murder. Justin Wolfe's initial conviction was overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct. Nor will justices hear an appeal by a man who was convicted under federal gambling laws. Lawrence DiCristina of New York says the laws cover only games of chance, whereas the game his underground group plays—poker—is about skill. So what is the court hearing? Arguments are taking place today over an Obama administration rule on pollution. The EPA requires companies developing pollution-boosting industrial sites to assess their carbon output. The Chamber of Commerce, which is challenging the measure along with some GOP-run states, says it "may be the costliest, most intrusive regulatory program the nation has yet seen." Several other states, as well as environmental groups, are backing the White House.
– Democratic Party leaders united Wednesday in calling for Sen. Al Franken to resign from the U.S. Senate, an extraordinary rebuke to the Minnesota Democrat as he faced a new allegation of sexual harassment. Franken planned to make an announcement about his future Thursday morning on the Senate floor. His office said it would happen at 10:45 a.m. Central time, describing it as the senator planning to "deliver a speech from the Senate floor." A top Democratic official told the Star Tribune that Franken planned to resign, but the senator’s staff insisted no final decision had been made. It was clear that Franken’s political career was hanging by a thread, as a wave of Democrats throughout the day — first female senators, followed by many male colleagues and then other party leaders, said it was time for him to step down from the seat he’s held since 2009. “I believe it would be better for our country if he sent a clear message that any kind of mistreatment of women in our society isn’t acceptable by stepping aside to let someone else serve,” New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the first of Franken’s Democratic colleagues to come out against him, posted on Facebook. Politico reported that a former Democratic aide says Sen. Al Franken tried to forcibly kiss her in 2006. If Franken resigns, DFL Gov. Mark Dayton will appoint a temporary replacement. A high-ranking Democratic source told the Star Tribune that the likeliest replacement is Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, a close Dayton ally who would not be expected to run for the seat in an ensuing special election in November 2018. Dayton is expected to move quickly if Franken resigns. Franken’s day started when another woman stepped forward with allegations of unwanted touching. More than half a dozen women have shared stories of being groped, harassed or forcibly kissed by the Minnesota Democrat and former “Saturday Night Live” performer, both before and after his Senate election. Franken has repeatedly apologized, while saying the issue should be turned over to a Senate Ethics Committee investigation. But the bruising round of denunciations, including from his closest colleagues and ideological allies, arriving in bursts throughout the afternoon, made that an increasingly untenable prospect. More than half of Franken’s fellow Democrats in the U.S. Senate said he should step down, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez also joined in. “I consider Senator Franken a dear friend and greatly respect his accomplishments, but he has a higher obligation to his constituents and the Senate, and he should step down immediately,” said Schumer, one of Washington’s most powerful Democrats. The decision by Democrats to abandon Franken comes as President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have embraced the Senate candidacy of Alabama’s Roy Moore, despite allegations by multiple women that Moore sexually abused them, including some who were teenagers at the time. The move against Franken, paired with the forced retirement of longtime Democratic Rep. John Conyers over sexual harassment, seem intended by Democratic leaders to draw a bright line between the two parties on their response to such accusations. The shunning of Franken is perhaps the most dramatic case of a party turning on one of its own since Sen. Mitch McConnell led the Republican effort to force Robert Packwood of Oregon from the Senate in 1995, after Packwood was found to have engaged in sexual harassment and misconduct. And it represents the harshest treatment handed out to a U.S. senator from Minnesota since a 96-0 vote in 1990 to denounce then-Sen. Dave Durenberger, a Republican, for bringing ‘’dishonor and disrepute’’ to the institution through improper financial dealings. Prominent Minnesota DFLers, who with few exceptions had refrained from demanding Franken’s resignation in recent weeks, also changed their views Wednesday. They included U.S. Reps. Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison and Tim Walz, who all agreed that Franken must step down. Minnesota’s senior U.S. senator, Amy Klobuchar, stopped short of directly calling for resignation, but said in a statement: “Sexual harassment is unacceptable. This morning I spoke with Senator Franken and … I am confident he will make the right decision.” Just a day earlier, Franken seemed positioned to try to ride out the storm. He made the media rounds, promising to win back the trust of Minnesota voters, then resumed his normal duties, sitting in on hearings, railing against the Senate tax bill and the FCC’s upcoming decision on net neutrality. Dozens of women who have worked with Franken, both in the Senate and from his time on “Saturday Night Live,” stepped forward to testify that he had always treated them with respect. His office’s upbeat tone shifted abruptly after Politico published an account from a woman, identified only as a former Democratic congressional aide, who said Franken tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006. She told the newspaper that she ducked to avoid his lips, and as she hurried out of the room, he called after her: “It’s my right as an entertainer.” Franken’s office flatly denied the story. “This allegation is categorically not true and the idea that I would claim this as my right as an entertainer is preposterous,” Franken said in a statement. But as calls for his resignation came raining down, the tone shifted. “Senator Franken will be making an announcement tomorrow. More details to come,” his office said in a terse tweet that drew thousands of responses — a mix of vitriol, support and mentions of different standards for Moore and Trump, who was elected despite allegations of sexual harassment from more than a dozen women. Comparisons to Trump and Moore were particularly galling for Franken, who had spent his Senate career building a reputation as a forceful advocate for women. He had been an enthusiastic supporter for women who stepped forward to share stories of harassment and assault by powerful men, and even after he himself was accused, took pains to say “we need to listen to and believe women’s experiences.” From left, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., accompanied by Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., and former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, speaks at a news conference where she and other members of congress introduce legislation to curb sexual harassment in the workplace, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, in Washington. Gillibrand and fellow female Democratic senators have united in calling for Sen. Al Franken to resign amid sexual misconduct allegations. After eight years in the Senate, Franken had emerged as a powerful voice on progressive causes and forceful critic of the Trump administration, frequently generating national headlines with aggressive questioning of the president’s Cabinet officers. He was a star for the Democratic Party, raising millions of dollars for its candidates across the country and appearing frequently on nationally broadcast talk shows and in other high-profile venues. That image came crashing down Nov. 16, when a fellow performer said he forcibly kissed her during a 2006 USO show, and shared a photo of Franken mugging for the camera with his hands hovering over her breasts as she slept on the plane home. Candidates started giving his donations away to charities that serve battered women. A Minnesota rape victim asked Franken to take his name off a bill he had sponsored in her honor. Some of the allegations date back to Franken’s celebrity career, before his Senate run. He was hired as a staff writer for “Saturday Night Live” in its first season in 1975, and quickly became a regular on-air performer as well. He served two long stints on the show, the second ending in 1995. After that, he published several bestselling books of political satire from a liberal point of view, and hosted a nationally syndicated radio show for several years. In their denunciations of Franken, Democratic Party leaders seemed to be trying to convey a message that the party has a zero-tolerance approach to instances of sexual harassment by its own officials. “The Democratic Party will stand up for women and what is right,” said Perez, the national Democratic chairman. “Public service is a public trust. If you are a candidate for office or an elected official who has engaged in sexual misconduct, you should step aside — whether you sit in the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate or the Oval Office.” \|\|\|\|\| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more	– Fellow Democratic senators are calling for Sen. Al Franken to step down—and a Democratic official says he plans to do so. The official told Minnesota Public Radio on Wednesday that Franken, who has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women, plans to announce his resignation Thursday. MPR agreed to withhold the official's name to allow the Minnesota senator to explain the decision in his own words. But there has been no confirmation from the senator: Franken is "talking with his family at this time and plans to make an announcement in DC tomorrow," a tweet from his official account said. "Any reports of a final decision are inaccurate." In other developments: A possible successor. If Franken does step down, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will appoint a temporary replacement ahead of a Nov. 2018 special election. A source tells the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the Democrat is likely to name Lt. Gov. Tina Smith.
Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) If you like Bill O’Reilly, read this. Don’t like him, read it anyway. It’s interesting. TBA: Oct. 6 he and Jon Stewart will co-juice up a live mock debate rumble, 90 minutes, in DC’s nice air-conditioned George Washington University auditorium. Filmed, available subsequently on DVD, it’ll stream worldwide on the Internet. Cost: $5. Money to charity. Former “Fox and Friends” host E.D. Hill moderates. Why? Why not. They’ve done one another’s programs. They like each other. And both can outtalk Obama. Even Clinton. Another thing. A two-hour movie job of O’Reilly’s best seller “Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever” grabs National Geographic Channel early next year. Ridley Scott, exec producer. Tom Hanks, narrator. Through great-great-great-grandfather John Hanks, Oscar winner Hanks is also a third cousin, four generations removed, from Abraham Lincoln. EMMA Watson, Paul Rudd, Joan Cusack, Dylan McDermott grace the new film “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” based on a best seller — banned from some schools — about love, not love, more love, less love, lots of love, hope, fear, a little sex, a lot of bacchanalia, and some heavy love. Emma’s character, named Sam, is charismatic but melancholy. Who cares what she is? Nobody can take their eyes off her. Her first major role since becoming a “Harry Potter” star at 11, she’s now a face of Lancome and attends Brown University. Screenings organizer Andrew Saffir told me: “The film’s starting 7:30. Emma’s arriving 7:15.” Right. She showed promptly 7:50. “Watching yourself in a movie is a struggle,” she said. “Not just now but even in early childhood days. Every second of the time I’m on-screen, I’ve had to step back and try to see myself. It’s intense. Looking at myself, I had to try and explain: Am I just being me, or am I really the character? “I’m just back from filming in Iceland with Darren Aronofsky, who got an Oscar nomination for directing ‘Black Swan.’ He’s so caring of his actors. He was always making sure I’m OK. I’d never seen Iceland before. The place is like going into space.” She looked pretty heavenly herself. Short bob. Half-cutout all white dress by new designer Brood. Large middle finger ring. “I seem to have passed over the ‘Harry Potter’ crazy. Nobody shouts that out at me anymore. When they see me now, they just call out, ‘Hey . . . Emma . . .’ ” Then — since it was late — somebody shouted out, “Hey . . . Emma . . . ” — and off she went. ONE of the most beautiful things on earth is the logo of 1stdibs, where Gloria Vanderbilt, 88, displayed her artwork. Most beautiful thing Anderson Cooper showed for a fast hello. Most beautiful Four Seasons private pool room got redecorated just for a private dinner afterwards in her favorite red — lights, flowers, cloths, seats, candles — by event planner Jerry Sibal, who just did the Princess of Doha’s palace wedding. And may that last as long as Gloria. ROCKER Madame Mayhem celebrating her Social Life cover at the Sanctuary Hotel . . . Jonathan Goldberg’s Cherub Improv cheering up the Kittay House elderly . . . Christy Cashman, in Parker Posey’s new film (which I don’t know what it is), modeled Callua Lillibelle for a fashion spread in Brooklyn. IT’s mumbled that New Yorkers may form their own country, taking along other Blue States — Oregon, California, Hawaii, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and the whole Northeast. We have Cuomo, Hillary, stem-cell research, the best beaches, Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge and two-thirds of tax revenue. Also Intel, Microsoft and Harvard. Red States have Texas, Oklahoma, the slave territories, Bobby Jindal and Todd Akin, OpryLand and Dollywood. Also Alabama and Mississippi. And Perdue. We — 85 percent of entrepreneurs and venture capital. Plus Hollywood and Yosemite. Them — majority of single moms and obese Americans, most tornadoes, hurricanes, mosquitoes, 99 percent of Southern Baptists, and 100 percent of all televangelists. We control the fresh fruit, fresh water, domestic wines, most low sulfur coal, and all redwoods, sequoias and condors. Red Staters consider life sacred except for the death penalty or gun laws, and 61 percent of those crazy bastards claim higher morals then we north of the Mason-Dixon. We’ll be known as Citizens of the Enlightened States of America. BROADWAY bus. Cute head of a little white dog in a carrier poked out. Passenger alongside asked: “What’s its name?” The owner: “None of your business.” The questioner burbled, “Ohhh, sorry . . . I didn’t mean to intrude . . . ” Owner: “Oh, no, it’s OK. That’s her name. I named her ‘None of Your Business’ because she always sticks her head out and gets into everything.” Only in New York, kids, only in New York. \|\|\|\|\| In his “Talking Points Memo” tonight, Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly announced he’ll be pairing up with Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart for a 90-minute debate. It will stream online on Oct. 6. O’Reilly said the debate will center on three topics: the national debt, American relations in Muslim countries and gas prices. “I feel so strongly about this that I’m teaming up with my pal Jon Stewart to do a 90-minute debate on those and other vital issues,” O’Reilly said. He said they were calling it “The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium” and it will be formatted like a presidential debate, “without all the phoniness and pomposity.” Furthermore, O’Reilly said there will be a Q&A with the live audience and those streaming online can submit questions. The tickets are available for pre-order at TheRumble2012.com for $4.95. O’Reilly said fifty-percent of the profits “if there are any” will go to “a bunch of very worthy charities.” The New York Post‘s Cindy Adams wrote this morning and said CNN anchor E.D. Hill will moderate. From The O’Reilly Factor: [ooyala code=”hiNnF3NTrM7RsUAGJ1tR5FGW8KaspF9D”] And here’s the promo for the debate:	– Bill O'Reilly and Jon Stewart always make for an entertaining pair, so mark your calendars for Oct. 6. That's when they'll be debating issues including the national debt, America's relationship with the Muslim world, and gas prices, O'Reilly announced last night on his show. The 90-minute debate will be just like a presidential debate, except "without all the phoniness and pomposity," O'Reilly promised. It will be streamed online and will include a Q&A session with the audience, The Blaze reports. Tickets to the amusingly named "Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium" are $4.95, and 50% of the proceeds go to charity. Former Fox and Friends host ED Hill will moderate, the New York Post reports, and a DVD will be sold after the fact.
Every outstanding missing person's case in Australia will be re-examined after a man was charged with the 'horrific' kidnap and attempted murder of two female backpackers, police have revealed. It comes after pictures emerged of the bedroom of the man suspected of trying to kill the two girls in a remote South Australian national park near Salt Creek on Tuesday night. The pictures come as the newly set up Taskforce Coorong updated the public on its investigation so far. Acting Asst Commissioner Douglas Barr told media: "About 45,000 cases reported in Australia every year, we will be looking at all outstanding missing persons. "Every outstanding case will be looked into. These two women have been subject to a horrifying incident." The acting commissioner said that the 'terrifying incident' had shocked the community and he understood there were lots of questions that the police are unable to answer at this time. "Speculation is rife in the community and the press, and rightly so. "It's prudent, if nothing else, to invest the background of this offender. The man is before the courts with a serious offence and is entitled to the presumption of innocence. "His name will remain suppressed at least until committal proceedings are finalised but I don't think its appropriate to detail this person's criminal history," Acting Asst Commissioner Barr added. 7 News revealed yesterday that the suspect was already in police sights as detectives had already raided his southern suburbs home several times in the past year seizing items of interest. The accused man and his elderly father live in Morphett Vale. Late on Thursday afternoon his family reacted to the arrest. “That's horrible, unexpected,” said the accused’s father. His ex-wife said: “But he's never put hands on family. At least not on me or the kids you know.” When residents saw last night's chilling report on 7 News they immediately knew the man police arrested was their neighbour. “The age, description, the car, he goes away a lot, when they said it was Morphett Vale…my heart sank,” one woman said. “It's just unbelievable really, shock, feeling of sickness… I did call the police cause I had concerns he was a neighbour and then it obviously unraveled and he was,” another woman said. “We don't know if he was watching our kids, we've got no idea, that's what's scary about the whole thing.” This week SA Police announced the formation of Task Force Coorong to investigate the Salt Creek incident and to find out whether the suspect has been involved in any other crimes. Acting Superintendent Trent Cox said a dedicated team comprising of 12 investigators and intelligence officers had been created. “It is difficult for police to detail some matters at this time given the arrest of a man, and the legal constraints that brings,” Superintendent Cox said. “However, I would like to assure the public that at this time police are not seeking any other suspect in connection with this matter, but are following every avenue of inquiry. Neighbours claim police have visited the home several times over the past year. “There's a lot of cop activity at that house, coming and going, he ran up the alley-way one night, had the dogs chasing him, I've seen evidence being taken with computers and stuff,” a woman said. They said the man is a loner, cleans his boat and keeps to himself. “Seems like a normal bloke and then you see that on the news and it's pretty scary, knowing there's kids in the street, it's just out of the blue,” one young man said. “He just looked creepy, something about him… He's been there about 12 months, I know his father, been over there for a BBQ, so it's just disbelief,” a man said. “I don't like walking past him when he's out the front, he stares, he just doesn't say anything,” one of the women said. One of the two women rescued from the terrifying alleged abduction ordeal on the isolated South Australian beach has been released from hospital. The identities of the alleged victims cannot be published for legal reasons, however, 7 News can reveal one is a 23-year-old nurse from Brazil. The other woman, also believed to be aged in her 20s is believed to be from Germany. She remains in hospital. Both the girls were travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne with the man charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. A group of about 12 locals managed to find and rescue the young women after fishermen saw one running from sand dunes, naked, bleeding and crying for help. They were flown to the Flinders Medical Centre with serious injuries after being taken to the Salt Creek Road House. One is believed to have been hit in the head with a hammer while another was run over with a vehicle. Dramatic amateur video showed the moment police arrested the man now accused of inflicting the terrifying ordeal upon the two travellers. The 59-year-old man has been refused bail and is scheduled to appear in court again in April. His Facebook page shows him posing with a gun, and documents other trips to Salt Creek. He operates several Facebook pages and has an online profile with a dating site seeking a new Asian wife, where he says he is “respectful to women and gets along with everyone, well almost.” The rescue of the backpackers Four fishermen raised the alarm after spotting one of the female backpackers running from the dunes, begging for help. One of the fishermen said she did not appear to know what was happening. “She ran straight to the car yelling,” Abdul-Karim Mohammed said. “She opened the back door, jumped straight in and like, ‘get me out of here, get me out of here. He’s going to kill us all’. “She had some scratches and that on the legs, looked like she’d been pulled around, dragged around and that. “She had a bruised eye; maybe would have punched her or something.” Fearing for the woman’s friend, the fishermen got an S.O.S to the Salt Creek Roadhouse. Owner Adam Stewart took the call and rushed to help. “The young guys were pretty scared so they wanted to get out of there, but we got them to go back in and, with that, they've seen the vehicle and sweet talked him into basically getting in there and rescuing the girl,” Mr Stewart said. Rescuers then found the second backpacker, barely conscious and unable to speak. Police would not reveal the backpacker’s injuries but 7 News understands at least one had been tied up. At one stage they helped each other escape but it was short lived. “Her and her friend split up, started running different directions,” Mr Mohammed said. “I think it was to get him, you know what I mean, and she got away. “Looks like he captured them again and unfortunately she was the one who sustained the serious injuries.” Mr Stewart said the women “were in pretty bad shape”. The shock of the scene also affected the rescuers and police officers. “We’re all pretty rattled, obviously. It’s a heavy event at any level,” Mr Stewart said. “Even the police were rattled by it at a very high level.” Crime scene investigation officers spent Wednesday and Thursday scouring the beach and searching the scene. A campsite was found a kilometre away from where the first woman was found. A fishing knife and a hook were among the items left behind. It is believed the pair met the man on Tuesday and they were travelling interstate. Police are now investigating if the man could be involved in any other crimes. There were a dozen people from the small Salt Creek community involved in the rescue. Anyone with information that they believe may assist investigators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 – you can remain anonymous. \|\|\|\|\| Image copyright 7News Image caption A screen grab shows the moment an Australian man, 59, is arrested on a remote beach south of Adelaide An Australian man has been charged over the alleged kidnapping and attempted murder of two female backpackers on a beach south of Adelaide. Reports said the women, believed to be European, were rescued after they managed to escape from their captor and run off in different directions. One was recaptured, but the other ran screaming from sand dunes towards a group of fishermen, witnesses said. The man was arrested at Coorong National Park on Tuesday evening. "She ran straight to the car yelling. She opened the back door, jumped straight in and like, 'get me out of here, get me out of here. He's going to kill us all'," fisherman Abdul-Karim Mohammed told 7 News. He said the trio was travelling together from Adelaide to Melbourne, and had stopped at the small settlement of Salt Creek. The second woman was found barely conscious and unable to speak, the fishermen said. Salt Creek Roadhouse owner Adam Stewart said he encouraged the fishermen to return for the second woman after they phoned him for help. "Unfortunately, [the women] were in pretty bad shape... We're all pretty rattled, obviously. It's a heavy event at any level. Even the police were rattled by it at a very high level," Mr Stewart told 7 News. Details including the accused man's identity, vehicle and alleged actions during the crimes have been suppressed. He is expected to face court again in April. \|\|\|\|\| Two female backpackers were allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted by an Australian man in an isolated region of South Australia, who is now facing charges including attempted murder. The women, who were visiting from overseas, had met their alleged attacker in a rural area more than 100km from Adelaide. The man drove them to a campsite at Salt Creek in Coorong national park, where he allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted and attempted to kill the women. Police were called after one of the women escaped her alleged attacker and found a group of fishermen camping on a nearby beach. One of the fishermen told the Adelaide Advertiser the woman ran towards him, screaming: “He’s going to kill us all.” A 59-year-old South Australian man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and unlawful sexual intercourse with the two women. The man did not apply for bail and was taken into custody on Thursday. At a media conference on Thursday, South Australian police superintendent James Blandford said the women were found in a “dire” situation. “Given the nature of the charges, their situation was obviously very dire and they were somewhat distressed,” he said. “One of the victims was able to run away and came across some people who were fishing in the area,” he said. “They were able to comfort and secure her and make a call to the police.” The second woman was later found by rescuers in the sand dunes. The woman had sustained serious injuries. One of the fishermen, Abdul-Karim Mohammed, said the scene was confronting, with the woman screaming, crying and yelling. “First of all she just started waving,” he told Seven News. “She looked at us. She didn’t know what was going on. She ran straight to the car yelling. She opened the back door, jumped straight in and like ‘Get me out of here, get me out of here. He’s going to kill us all.’ “First of all she had no clothes on so we just straight away gave her our jacket. “She had some scratches and that on the legs. Look liked she’d been pulled around, dragged around and that.” Camper Josh Harris saw the woman, who was possibly hit with a hammer, as her rescuers brought her to a roadhouse at Salt Creek. “At first I thought it was mud on her face. As she walked, supported by people, blood was all over her,” he said. “The guys who dropped her off were in shock. She’d said her attacker was going to kill her.” Harris said the second woman caught up in the attack seemed “okay physically”. “She was holding a pillow to her head but was running around saying ‘where is she? I need to see her. She saved my life’. “It was horrific. It was like something from a movie. It was Storm Boy turned into Wolf Creek.” The women, aged in their 20s, were hospitalised. By Thursday, one had been discharged with the second still under observation in a stable condition after suffering serious injuries. The attack has shocked locals in the popular tourist destination. “Something like that, you wouldn’t expect it to happen on your front door. It’s a beautiful area,” Coorongdunes Holiday Accommodation owner Mandell Tiver said. A police statement issued on Wednesday said: “At 6.30pm on Tuesday 9 February, police were called to the Coorong national park after reports of an assault. Two women were transported to the Flinders medical centre with serious injuries. Both remain at the hospital in a stable condition.” “The 59-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and kidnapping.” “Murray Bridge CIB [Criminal Investigation Branch] are investigating and Major Crime Investigation Branch detectives are assisting.” The court suppressed the man’s name and police have not revealed the women’s nationalities to protect their identities. The man will face court again in April. Police have also established a task force to investigate the attack including whether the man was linked to other crimes.	– Two female backpackers have escaped a living nightmare near Adelaide, Australia. Police say a German and Brazilian, both in their 20s, met a man in a rural area of South Australia who drove them to a remote beach campsite in Coorong National Park on Tuesday, per 7 News and the Guardian. There, police say the man sexually assaulted the women, then tried to kill them. One was hit in the head with a hammer while the other was reportedly run over by a car. Incredibly, both managed to escape and run in different directions, reports the BBC. One was recaptured, but the other found a group of fishermen. "She ran straight to the car yelling. She opened the back door, jumped straight in and [was] like, 'get me out of here, get me out of here. He's going to kill us all,'" one man says. "She had no clothes on so we just straight away gave her our jacket." Another witness says she had "blood all over her." A dozen or so locals eventually set out in search of the second woman and found her barely conscious in sand dunes. A 59-year-old South Australian man—7 News reports he is of German heritage—was arrested later Tuesday in Coorong National Park and faces charges of kidnapping, unlawful sexual intercourse, and attempted murder. The man cannot be named for legal reasons, but neighbors say police have raided his home several times over the last year, taking items including computers. A photo on Facebook shows him holding a gun, while a fishing knife and hook were found at the campsite. "He's never put hands on family. At least not on me or the kids," his ex-wife says. He's due in court in April. Both victims were admitted to a hospital, where the German backpacker remained in stable condition on Thursday. (A Swedish doctor allegedly held a woman in a bunker.)
Finally Revealed: Jeb Bush's Secret Guacamole Recipe Enlarge this image toggle caption Meg Kelly/NPR Meg Kelly/NPR It all started with a question about food labeling at the Iowa Agriculture Summit earlier this year and Jeb Bush's not-so-humble brag: "When I go to Publix in Coral Gables after church to go prepare for Sunday Funday in my house ... I'll probably make a really good guacamole and I want to know where that avocado is from and I want to know where the onions are from and the cilantro and all the secret stuff I put in it." Then, Bush sold molcajetes (aka mortar and pestle) — stone devices used to crush or grind food — in his campaign shop. They're listed as "Guaca Bowles" and cost $75 (that's even more than the Sur La Table molcajete shaped like a pig). Twitter had a field day with it. So did Stephen Colbert. "Jeb and Columba love whipping up guacamole on Sunday Funday," the page on his online shop reads. "Now, you can get in on the act with this 'Guaca Bowle.' Jeb's secret guacamole recipe not included ... yet." Enlarge this image toggle caption Kayana Szymczak for NPR Kayana Szymczak for NPR Bush hadn't given up that recipe ... until now. In an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep (the bulk of which was about the 2016 presidential campaign, national security and immigration), he said it's the first time he's shared the secret to his "mighty fine" guac — though he added he "didn't give enough specifics" so "it's still secret squirrel enough." If you're settling in for a bowl game or cozy New Year's Eve here it is: Jeb Bush's Guacamole Avocados "Make sure they're not too ripe, but they gotta be ripe enough." Cilantro Onions Jalapeño "rather than chile serrano" Garlic "not too much" Enlarge this image toggle caption Meg Kelly/NPR Meg Kelly/NPR Notes: No lemon and no tomatoes. And don't go making this in a bowl. "You gotta use a molcajete," Bush said. One final note ... judging from Obama's preferred guacamole, it appears this recipe might include a pinch of bipartisanship: \|\|\|\|\| Hello, this is a shock and an honor: we have finally secured the recipe to Sr. Heb Boosh’s famous guacamole, the very same guacamole that sits inside this $75 Guaca Bowle for sale on his campaign website. In a recent interview with NPR, Jeb revealed a broad outline of this guacamole recipe we have heard so much about, leaving out some specifics to keep it “secret squirrel enough.” (I don’t know what that means.) Avocados “Make sure they’re not too ripe, but they gotta be ripe enough.” Cilantro Onions Jalapeño “rather than chile serrano” Garlic “not too much” Notes: No lemon and no tomatoes. And don’t go making this in a bowl. “You gotta use amolcajete,” Bush said. F yeah, you gotta! Advertisement Advertisement Bush left some ingredients out, obviously, because of the secret squirrels, but I thiiiink I’ve watched enough Top Chef to fill in the blanks here, you guys! In order to make your guacamole taste exactly like Jeb’s guacamole, you’ll probably need to add the following: 1 cup of shredded $100 bills 6 dozen sidelong glances of pain 1/2 teaspoon of upper lip sweat A pinch of regret 5 cups of visible discomfort, finely chopped 4 tablespoons of hair ripped out in the middle of the night while dreaming of a lost legacy Salt to taste Muy good! Contact the author at ellie@jezebel.com. Advertisement Advertisement	– As Jezebel points out, Jeb Bush likes to talk about his supposedly famous, "secret" guacamole recipe. On Bush's campaign website, you can even buy a Made-in-America "Guaca Bowle" for $75. (The description notes, "Jeb and Columba love whipping up guacamole on Sunday Funday.") Now, in a new interview with NPR, Bush finally reveals his recipe publicly for the first time ... or at least, most of it: Avocados that are "not too ripe, but they gotta be ripe enough" Cilantro Onions Jalapeno "rather than chile serrano," Bush points out Garlic, but "not too much" Do not, however, include any lemon or tomatoes, Bush says Bush notes that he did not include all the "specifics," so as to keep the recipe somewhat "secret squirrel" Other headline-making guacamole recipes: the NYT's, Chipotle's, and Jack White's.
Related Headlines Northwest ISD middle school teacher arrested - A Northwest ISD middle school teacher arrested for having an improper relationship with a 15-year-old student was pregnant after the encounter, according to new documents released Thursday. Katherine Ruth Harper, 27, was a 7th grade English teacher and coach at the Tidwell Middle School. She was arrested last week and charged for her alleged encounters with a 15-year-old boy who attended Byron Nelson HS. Northwest ISD found out through an anonymous tip via the district website that said the boy and Harper were having sex and also claimed she was also pregnant. Harper is currently 8 months pregnant, although the arrest warrant never explicitly states if the 15-year-old is the baby’s father. The warrant states the boy, when asked by the Byron Nelson HS principal, started crying and said that he and Harper had multiple sexual encounters. “One thing led to another and she told me to ‘put it in’ and I did,” the boy said, according to the warrant. Other sexual meetups involved drinking alcohol, taking off their clothes together and the boy performing oral sex on Harper. Harper also sent multiple nude photos via smart phone to the boy. Police said the two communicated 76 times between June 1 and July 31. Police said the two knew each other because Harper was the boy’s former tennis coach and teacher when he attended Tidwell MS. District officials were notified of the improper relationship in Dec. 2016 and said Harper was placed on administrative leave. Harper was arrested on March 21 by Trophy Club police and booked into the Denton County jail and released after posting a $15,000 bond. \|\|\|\|\| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. \|\|\|\|\| Police: Pregnant Texas cheerleading coach, teacher swapped nude photos, had sex with student Another Texas school district has become embroiled in a student-teacher sex scandal, this time involving a pregnant teacher and cheerleading coach and a 15-year-old student in the suburbs of Dallas-Fort Worth. According to the Trophy Club Police Department, Katherine Ruth Harper, 27, had an improper relationship with a former student. Harper met the student while at a local middle school as a 7th-grade English teacher, cheerleading coach and tennis coach. An arrest warrant acquired by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says that the pair exchanged nude photos and had sex multiple times over the summer break. The arrest warrant notes that the teacher's improper relationship, a 2nd degree felony, began when "the two began sending flirty text messages to each other, which eventually led to her going over to his Trophy Club home." SCANDAL: Special-ed teacher arrested for alleged affair with student at all-male school The student confessed to educators while crying, according to the affidavit. Harper was held at the Denton County Jail until she posted bail of $15,000. Texas has seen a spike in the number of teacher-student sex scandals, which education officials blame on social media and texting. UPDATE: Sarah Fowlkes smiling in mugshot because she knows she's innocent, says lawyer A study by the Austin American-Statesman found that between January 2010 and December 2016, 686 teachers in Texas lost their teaching license due to allegations of impropriety with a student. Click through above to see other notable Texas teacher-student relationships.	– Katherine Ruth Harper may not want a former student at her Texas middle school to write an essay on what he did over summer vacation. Per an arrest warrant affidavit, the 27-year-old seventh-grade English teacher is accused of having sex with the 15-year-old both at her own home and at his, the Star-Telegram reports. The sexual encounters allegedly happened on multiple occasions between June 1 and July 31 last year, with nearly 80 cellphone communications between them during that period, the affidavit notes. Harper is also said to be eight months pregnant, per FOX 4, though the affidavit doesn't say if the boy, whom she used to teach and coach at tennis, is the father. District officials were first tipped off to an inappropriate relationship involving Harper in September, but the probe dissolved, in part because the tip didn't include a student's name. The investigation was reopened in December when further info came to light. When the teen was confronted and grilled by a school official, he reportedly started to cry and revealed the nature of their relationship. "One thing led to another and she told me to 'put it in' and I did,' he said, per the warrant, which also notes the two drank alcohol together and that the teen performed oral sex on Harper. She has been on administrative leave since December and was arrested on March 21. She was released on $15,000 bond and faces a second-degree felony charge of an improper relationship between an educator and student. The Chronicle notes this is the latest in a string of teacher-student sex scandals in Texas. (This Texas case involved the student blackmailing the teacher.)
Memo Reveals Only 6 People Signed Up for Obamacare on First Day Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 30, 2013. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo) Just six people successfully enrolled in health insurance plans through the new federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov, on the first day it went live, according to internal Obama administration "notes" released tonight by the House Oversight Committee. By the end of the second day, 248 people had enrolled, the documents show. The "war room notes," prepared by the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, offer the first rough snapshot of how many Americans were able to enroll on Oct. 1 and 2, reflecting all the technical snafus that plagued the site. You can read the documents HERE , HERE and HERE . The informal memos were turned over this week as part of a document request to the Republican-chaired House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the rocky rollout of the insurance portal. They clearly indicate recognition that "direct enrollment [was] not working" because of "high capacity" on the site, though the documents note that dozens of applications were getting created. To date, Obama administration officials have refused to publicly provide any estimate of successful enrollments, though they have said the site received 4.7 million unique visitors on its first day and has now generated more than 700,000 applications. An internal administration memo obtained by The Associated Press and confirmed by ABC News revealed that the administration projected half a million successful sign-ups by Oct. 31. In her testimony this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius suggested that the now well-documented technical flaws in the system make any early estimate unreliable. "We do not have any reliable data around enrollment, which is why we haven't given it to date," she told the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday. "According to the insurance companies, who are eager to have customers, they are not getting reliable data all the way through the system," she explained. "It's one of the real problems that we have." HHS spokeswoman Joanne Peters stressed tonight that the enrollment figures presented in the "war room notes" are unofficial figures. The agency has said it intends to release its first official report on enrollments by mid-November. "We will release enrollment statistics on a monthly basis after coordinating information from different sources such as paper, on-line, and call centers, verifying with insurers, and collecting data from states," she said. Administration officials have also sought to downplay low early enrollment estimates by citing the Massachusetts experience of 2007, when just 123 people successfully enrolled in the first month of "Romneycare." \|\|\|\|\| AFP PHOTO / Karen BLEIERKAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images Healthcare.gov had tallied exactly six successful enrollments by the morning of Oct. 2, new documents released by the House Oversight Committee show. By the end of Oct. 2, the health law Web site that serves 36 states had received 248 insurance enrollments. "6 enrollments/834s spread across 5 issuers," the notes from a morning meeting on Oct. 2 read. "No failures...Issuers include BCBS NC, BCBS Kansas City and CareSource. Healthcare Service Corporation had the 2 enrollments." These notes, taken at meetings of the "war room" of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, suggest that the health law's rollout looked just as bad behind the scenes as it did to the public, where many struggled to purchase coverage -- or even get the site to load. Health and Human Services spokeswoman Joanne Peters said that these notes were not official data on health law sign-ups, which is scheduled to be released later this month. “These appear to be notes, they do not include official enrollment statistics," she said in a statement. "We will release enrollment statistics on a monthly basis after coordinating information from different sources such as paper, on-line, and call centers, verifying with insurers, and collecting data from states. As the Secretary said before Congress, we are focused on providing reliable and accurate information and we do not have that at this time due to the issues with 834 forms. We have always anticipated that the pace of enrollment will increase throughout the enrollment period.” The meeting notes detail some of the challenges facing the health law Web site from the builders' perspective, including heavy volume and difficulty connecting to other computer systems. "High capacity on the website, direct enrollment not working, VA system not connecting," the Oct. 2 notes read, under a category labeled "on-going issues." "Experian creating confusion with credit check information, residency issue has a script being developed for the 900 issues that occurred and many agent-brokers have not signed up on EIDM." The three meeting notes are below. First is the write-up of the meeting on the morning of Oct. 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2013/10/10.2.2013-am.pdf These are from that same afternoon, on Oct. 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2013/10/10.2.2013-am.pdf And last, these are meeting notes from the morning of Oct. 3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2013/10/10.3.2013-am.pdf \|\|\|\|\| President Obama talks about health care Wednesday at Faneuil Hall in Boston. Newly released documents show that the Affordable Care Act had a slow start. (Photo: Jewel Samad, AFP/Getty Images) Story Highlights Memo says just 248 enrollments by Day 2 HHS says the numbers are unofficial Administration says reliable data not ready The federal government's new health care program got off to such a slow start that only six people successfully enrolled on its website the first day and only a few hundred had done so by the second day, documents released by Congress late Thursday show. The documents, released by the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee, state that just 248 people had succeeded in enrolling on the HealthCare.Gov site by the end of the second day, Oct. 2. The documents are notes prepared for the "war room" set up by the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight to manage the problematic rollout of the website and enrollment for the new plans under the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare. The committee is investigating the problems. FACT CHECK: Wrong for Sebelius to buy exchange plan? Obama administration officials have repeatedly declined to provide a public number or estimate for enrollment in health coverage under the new program. The memos document the problems that the administration was facing as the website for consumers to shop for plans and sign up was unable to process many applications because of overloaded capacity and other system issues. The federal website, for residents of 36 states that do not have their own health sign-up site, launched Oct. 1. By the morning of Oct. 2, the memo declares "6 enrollments have occurred so far with 5 different issuers.'' It said that as of that morning, direct enrollments, in which an applicant signed up directly on the policy issuer's website, "is not working for any issuers.'' The release comes just a day after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told Congress she could not give enrollment figures. "We do not have any reliable data around enrollment, which is why we haven't given it to date," Sebelius said. HHS spokeswoman Joanne Peters told ABC News following release of the memos that the enrollment figures presented in the documents are unofficial figures. The agency has said it intends to release its first official report on enrollment by mid-November. "We will release enrollment statistics on a monthly basis after coordinating information from different sources such as paper, online, and call centers, verifying with insurers and collecting data from states," she said. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1h4Eqpc \|\|\|\|\| Obamacare enrollments got off to very slow start, documents show (CBS News) WASHINGTON - For 31 days now, the Obama administration has been telling us that Americans by the millions are visiting the new health insurance website, despite all its problems. But no one in the administration has been willing to tell us how many policies have been purchased, and this may be the reason: CBS News has learned enrollments got off to an incredibly slow start. Early enrollment figures are contained in notes from twice-a-day "war room" meetings convened within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after the website failed on Oct. 1. They were turned over in response to a document request from the House Oversight Committee. The website launched on a Tuesday. Publicly, the government said there were 4.7 million unique visits in the first 24 hours. But at a meeting Wednesday morning, the war room notes say "six enrollments have occurred so far." They were with BlueCross BlueShield North Carolina and Kansas City, CareSource and Healthcare Service Corporation. By Wednesday afternoon, enrollments were up to "approximately 100." By the end of Wednesday, the notes reflect "248 enrollments" nationwide. The health care exchanges need to average 39,000 enrollees a day to meet the goal of seven million by March 1. The war room notes give a glimpse into some of the reasons customers had problems: "Direct enrollment (signing up directly on an insurer's website) is not working for any issuers." "Experian" credit reporting agency is "creating confusion with credit check information." "Issuer phone numbers are not appearing correctly on the Pay Now page." Issa subpoenas Sebelius for HealthCare.gov documents Sebelius: "Hold me accountable for the debacle" of HealthCare.gov Complete Coverage: Obamacare Kicks Off The notes leave no doubt that some enrollment figures, which the administration has chosen to keep secret, are available. "Statistics coming in," said notes from the very first meeting the morning of Oct. 2. Contractor "QSSI has a daily dashboard created every night." But head of CMS Marilyn Tavenner would not disclose any figures when Rep. Dave Camp, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, asked earlier this week. "Chairman Camp, we will have those numbers available in mid-November," she said. Health and Human Services told CBS News Thursday it's in no position to confirm or discuss enrollment figures because it doesn't have any. A spokesman suggested the numbers obtained by CBS News may not include all the different ways to enroll, such as paper applications. The spokesman also said that enrollment figures in Massachusetts' health care plan started off negligible but then skyrocketed as a deadline neared. HealthCare-Gov.pdf by CBSPolitics	– Another painful morning in the press for HealthCare.gov: Just six people signed up via the federal website on the first day, according to documents released by Congress last night. By the second day, only 248 had successfully enrolled, USA Today reports. On Wednesday, Kathleen Sebelius testified to Congress that the administration doesn't have "any reliable data around enrollment" and couldn't give figures; an HHS spokesperson tells ABC News the numbers released by the House Oversight Committee are unofficial. Those unofficial figures come from notes taken during "war room" meetings held on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, CBS News reports. Specific problems are also noted; the Washington Post reports on one category in the notes labeled "on-going issues." It includes items like "high capacity on the website, direct enrollment not working" and "Experian creating confusion with credit check information." Official figures will be released this month, the HHS rep says, "after coordinating information from different sources such as paper, online, and call centers, verifying with insurers, and collecting data from states."
KABUL (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban said on Monday that Kevin King, one of two professors from the American University of Afghanistan who were kidnapped in Kabul last year, is seriously ill and needs urgent medical attention. Kevin King in an undated photo. REUTERS/via FBI Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said King, an American, was suffering from “dangerous” heart disease and kidney problems. “His illness has intensified, his feet have swollen and sometimes he becomes unconscious and his condition worsens every day,” Mujahid said in a statement. “We have tried to treat him time to time but we do not have medical facilities as we are in a war situation,” he said. The U.S. State Department called for the immediate and unconditional release of King and other hostages. King and his Australian colleague Timothy Weeks were kidnapped in August 2016 as they were returning to their compound in the Afghan capital. Afghan and Western officials believe the men are being held by the Haqqani network, a militant group affiliated with the Taliban that has carried out many other kidnappings. They acknowledge that an unsuccessful rescue attempt was made in eastern Afghanistan months after the two were taken. The Taliban statement came around two weeks after Pakistani troops rescued Canadian Joshua Boyle and his American wife Caitlan Coleman from an area near the Afghan border. They had been held by the Haqqanis since being kidnapped in 2012. Earlier this year, the Taliban released a video of King and Weeks showing them pleading with their governments to release Taliban prisoners in turn for their freedom. Kidnapping high profile targets has become a lucrative business for the Taliban and other militant groups in Afghanistan who in return often demand huge ransom or release of their members. \|\|\|\|\| The Taliban claimed that an American teacher being held hostage in Afghanistan for over a year has a "dangerous" disease and said it wouldn't be held responsible if he dies. Interested in Taliban? Add Taliban as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Taliban news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest Kevin King, a teacher who was kidnapped from the American University in Kabul in Aug. 2016, is suffering from "dangerous heart and kidney disease" that has "exponentially worsened," the militant group said in a statement. The 60-year-old suffers from swollen feet and frequently loses consciousness, the statement said. King was abducted at the university with fellow teacher Timothy Weekes, an Australian national. Both are still being held hostage by the Taliban. The group said that it has tried to periodically treat King's illness but is "facing war conditions and do not readily have access to health facilities." It wasn't clear what kind of illness King is suffering from or what, if any, treatment he is receiving. The Taliban had previously released at least two videos in which the hostages make statements pleading for the U.S. government to negotiate a prisoner swap with the Taliban for their release. The recent story of American Caitlan Boyle and her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle and their three children, who arrived in Canada this month after being held captive in Afghanistan for more than five years, has highlighted the cases U.S. hostages being held in the war-torn country. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl spent more than five years in Taliban captivity after he walked away from his post in eastern Afghanistan in 2009. He pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior and faces up to life in prison at sentencing due to take place this month.	– An American professor kidnapped in Afghanistan more than a year ago is extremely ill and getting worse all the time, the Taliban says. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says 60-year-old Kevin King has "dangerous" heart and kidney diseases that have "exponentially worsened" during his time in captivity. "His illness has intensified, his feet have swollen, and sometimes he becomes unconscious and his condition worsens every day," Mujahid says, per Reuters. "We have tried to treat him [from] time to time, but we do not have medical facilities as we are in a war situation." Mujahid also warned that it wouldn't be the Taliban's fault if he dies, ABC News reports. King and a colleague, Australian citizen Timothy Weekes, were seized by militants last August as they traveled between the Kabul compound they lived in and the American University of Afghanistan, where they worked. Both men are believed to be in the hands of the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network, the group an American-Canadian couple and their three children were rescued from earlier this month. The US State Department called for the immediate release of the two men, who pleaded for then President-elect Trump to help them in a video militants released in January. (A US raid last year missed King and Weekes by hours.)
FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2012 file photo, voters stand in line outside the Hamilton County Board of Elections just before it opened for early voting, in Cincinnati. Stock up on munchies and make sure the... (Associated Press) Stock up on munchies and make sure the batteries in your TV remote are fresh. With this year's presidential election razor-close to the finish, Tuesday could be a long night. Even if the presidency isn't decided until after midnight EST, there will be plenty of clues early in the evening on how things are going for President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. Obama has more options for piecing together the 270 electoral votes needed for victory, so any early setbacks for Romney could be important portents of how the night will end. Here's a timetable for armchair election watchers on how the night will unfold, based on what time the last polls close in each state. All times are EST. _7 p.m.: Polls close in six states but all eyes will be on Virginia, the first of the battleground states to begin reporting results. If either candidate is comfortably ahead in Virginia, with 13 electoral votes, that could be a leading indicator of which way the night is going. Virginia typically has been fairly fast at counting ballots. But there's a new voter ID law in the state that could complicate things this year. Voters who don't bring identification to the polls still can have their ballots counted if they produce ID by Friday. If the race in Virginia is super tight, it could come down to those provisional ballots. On Election Night, no one will even know how many of them are out there. Virginia is especially important for Romney. In 2008, Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Virginia since 1964. Keep an eye on turnout in northern Virginia's Democratic strongholds for an early idea of which way the state will go. _7:30 p.m.: Polls close in three states, including all-important Ohio (18 electoral votes) and competitive North Carolina (15). If Ohio is particularly close, and polls suggest it might be, there's a chance the outcome there won't be known until after Election Day, and the presidency could hinge on it. In the last several elections, between 2 percent and 3 percent of the state's votes came from provisional ballots, which aren't counted until later. In 2004, after a long, tense night counting votes, the presidential race wasn't decided until 11 a.m. the next day, when Democrat John Kerry called President George Bush to concede Ohio and the presidency. Romney desperately needs Ohio; no Republican has won the presidency without it. Without Ohio, Romney would need victories in nearly all the remaining up-for-grabs states and he'd have to pick off key states now leaning Obama's way, such as Wisconsin and Iowa. Obama has more work-arounds than Romney if he can't claim Ohio. In North Carolina, the most conservative of the hotly contested states, Romney appeared to have the late edge in polling. Obama, who narrowly won the state in 2008, has paid less attention to it recently. An Obama victory there could point to broader troubles for Romney. _8 p.m.: More pieces of the puzzle will start falling into place as polls close in the District of Columbia and 16 states, including battlegrounds Florida (29) and New Hampshire (four). Democratic-leaning parts of Florida tend to be the last places to report, so be careful about jumping to a conclusion if Romney looks strong early on. Most of the polls in Florida close at 7 p.m. Eastern, so by 8 p.m. Eastern, when the last polls close, results will start to roll out quickly. But fully 4.5 percent of votes in Florida weren't counted on election night in 2008, so if things are tight, no one's going to be hasty about declaring a victor in the state. Especially after the 2000 fiasco in which the winner in Florida, and thus the presidency, wasn't determined for more than a month. If you want to get really granular, Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, is widely considered a bellwether for the state. Tiny New Hampshire is another competitive state to watch closely. Also keep watch on Pennsylvania for any signs of a Romney surprise. The state has long been considered safe for Obama, but Republicans started running ads there in the final week of the campaign and the GOP ticket was campaigning there Sunday. No Republican presidential candidate has carried the state in nearly a quarter century. _8:30 p.m.: Polls close in Arkansas (six), where Romney is comfortably ahead in surveys. _9 p.m.: Polls close in 14 states, including battlegrounds Colorado (nine) and Wisconsin (10). Democrats have carried Wisconsin for six straight presidential elections and Obama had the edge in polling going in, so a flip here would be especially noteworthy. Colorado, where almost 80 percent of voters cast early ballots, could be a straggler because it's so close. Historically, as much as 10 percent of the state's vote doesn't get counted on election night, and those ballots could be decisive in a close race. Information from exit polls could help flesh out the Colorado picture: Young professionals and Hispanic voters were central to Obama's victory there in 2008, but the sluggish economy has hurt his standing. Two more to watch: Minnesota and Michigan. The states long have been considered safe for Obama, but the Republicans made late moves there. _ 10 p.m.: Polls close in four states, including the last of the battlegrounds, Iowa (six) and Nevada (six). Iowa's been leaning toward Obama, but watch how the vote breaks down geographically. Can Romney's advantage in GOP-heavy western Iowa overcome Obama's edge in eastern swing territory? If Obama wins Ohio and Wisconsin, Romney would have to have help from the West, in places like Nevada and Colorado. Nevada, where two-thirds of the electorate votes early, has been moving Obama's direction in recent weeks, powered by strength in huge labor and Hispanic voting blocs. A Romney incursion there would really mean something _11 p.m.: Polls close in five western states, but most are foregone conclusions for Obama. He gets 78 electoral votes from California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington; Romney gets four from Idaho. _ 1 a.m. Wednesday: The last of the polls close, in Alaska. Romney gets three electoral votes. Will many people still be up? Political junkies could well be waiting to see how things play out in one or more battleground states. ___ Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbenac \|\|\|\|\| 3 years ago (CNN) - New polls released Monday indicate the presidential race is neck and neck in two battleground states. A CNN Poll of Polls show President Barack Obama has a narrow two-point edge over Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, 50%-48%, and a three-point edge over his Republican challenger in Iowa, 48%-45%. Watch CNN's comprehensive coverage of Election Day starting at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday on CNN TV and follow online at CNN.com or via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. For up-to-the-minute results, go to cnn.com/results and for our real-time Election Day live blog, check out cnn.com/conversation. Need other reasons to watch Election Day coverage on CNN's platforms? Click here for our list. In New Hampshire, the Poll of Polls is an average of three polls of likely voters in the Granite State conducted in the past week: American Research Group (Nov. 2-4); WMUR/University of New Hampshire (Nov. 1-4); and NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist (Oct. 28-29). The Poll of Polls does not have a sampling error. The latest survey was released by American Research Group on Monday and showed Obama and Romney tied at 49%. Earlier Monday, a separate survey indicated the president was up by three points, 51% to 48%, over his Republican challenger. With four electoral votes, New Hampshire has been a contested battleground throughout the presidential race. Romney launched his White House bid in the state in 2011 and will hold a rally there Monday night, on the eve of the election. Obama traveled to the state Sunday. - Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker In Iowa, The CNN Poll of Polls is an average of three Iowa polls of likely voters conducted in the past week: American Research Group (Nov. 2-4); Des Moines Register (Oct. 30-Nov. 2); and NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist (Oct. 28-29). The Poll of Polls does not have a sampling error. The latest survey, from American Research Group, was released Monday and showed Romney with a one point edge over Obama, 49%-48%. The Des Moines Register poll on Saturday, however, indicated the president had a 47%-42% advantage. - Check out the CNN Electoral Map and Calculator and game out your own strategy for November. With six electoral votes, the state has long been considered a toss-up and coveted territory by both campaigns. Obama holds his final campaign rally Monday night in Iowa, a state he credits with launching him on a path to winning the Democratic nomination in 2008. GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan will also be in Iowa Monday. - CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. \|\|\|\|\| Times for poll closings and the expected release of results for the Nov. 6 general election are listed state-by-state below. Please note that some states span more than one time zone. Also, poll opening hours may vary within each state, and voters should verify their locality’s voting hours with the state’s election office. The first poll closings are expected in Indiana and Kentucky at 6 p.m. EST. Expected times are listed in Eastern Standard Time as provided by The Associated Press on Sept. 11. Table of contents: Alabama \| Alaska \| Arizona \| Arkansas \| California \| Colorado \| Connecticut \| Deleware \| District of Columbia \| Florida \| Georgia \| Hawaii \| Idaho \| Illinois \| Indiana \| Iowa \| Kansas \| Kentucky \| Louisiana \| Maine \| Maryland \| Massachusetts \| Michigan \| Minnesota \| Mississippi \| Missouri \| Montana \| Nebraska \| Nevada \| New Hampshire \| New Jersey \| New Mexico \| New York \| North Carolina \| North Dakota \| Ohio \| Oklahoma \| Oregon \| Pennsylvania \| Rhode Island \| South Carolina \| South Dakota \| Tennessee \| Texas \| Utah \| Vermont \| Virginia \| Washington \| West Virginia \| Wisconsin \| Wyoming Text Size - + reset Expected times are listed in Eastern Standard Time as provided by The Associated Press on Sept. 11. Alabama poll closings In Alabama, poll closing times are 7 and 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Alaska poll closings In Alaska, poll closing times are 11 p.m and 12 and 1 a.m. EST (Nov. 7). First voting results are expected at (Nov. 7) 1 a.m. EST. Arizona poll closings In Arizona, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 10 p.m. EST. Arkansas poll closings In Arkansas, poll closing time is 8:30 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8:30 p.m. EST. California poll closings In California, poll closing time is 11 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 11 p.m. EST. Colorado poll closings In Colorado, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. Connecticut poll closings In Connecticut, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Delaware poll closings In Delaware, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. D.C. poll closings In D.C., poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Florida poll closings In Florida, poll closing times are 7 and 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7 p.m. EST. Georgia poll closings In Georgia, poll closing time is 7 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7 p.m. EST. Hawaii poll closings In Hawaii, poll closing time is 11 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 11 p.m. EST. Idaho poll closings In Idaho, poll closing times are 10 and 11 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 11 p.m. EST. Illinois poll closings In Illinois, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Indiana poll closings In Indiana, poll closing times are 6 and 7 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 6 p.m. EST. Iowa poll closings In Iowa, poll closing time is 10 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 10 p.m. EST. Kansas poll closings In Kansas, poll closing times are 8 and 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Kentucky poll closings In Kentucky, poll closing times are 6 and 7 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 6 p.m. EST. Louisiana poll closings In Louisiana, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. Maine poll closings In Maine, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Maryland poll closings In Maryland, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Massachusetts poll closings In Massachusetts, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Michigan poll closings In Michigan, poll closing times are 8 and 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Minnesota poll closings In Minnesota, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. Mississippi poll closings In Mississippi, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Missouri poll closings In Missouri, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Montana poll closings In Montana, poll closing time is 10 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 10 p.m. EST. Nebraska poll closings In Nebraska, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. Nevada poll closings In Nevada, poll closing time is 10 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 10 p.m. EST. New Hampshire poll closings In New Hampshire, poll closing times are 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7 p.m. EST. New Jersey poll closings In New Jersey, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. New Mexico poll closings In New Mexico, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. New York poll closings In New York, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. North Carolina poll closings In North Carolina, poll closing time is 7:30 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7:30 p.m. EST. North Dakota poll closings In North Dakota, poll closing times are 8 and 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Ohio poll closings In Ohio, poll closing times are 7:30 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7:30 p.m. EST. Oklahoma poll closings In Oklahoma, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Oregon poll closings In Oregon, poll closing times are 10 and 11 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 11 p.m. EST. Pennsylvania poll closings In Pennsylvania, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Rhode Island poll closings In Rhode Island, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. South Carolina poll closings In South Carolina, poll closing time is 7 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7 p.m. EST. South Dakota poll closings In South Dakota, poll closing times are 8 and 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. Tennessee poll closings In Tennessee, poll closing time is 8 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Texas poll closings In Texas, poll closing times are 8 and 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 8 p.m. EST. Utah poll closings In Utah, poll closing time is 10 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 10 p.m. EST. Vermont poll closings In Vermont, poll closing time is 7 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7 p.m. EST. Virginia poll closings In Virginia, poll closing time is 7 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7 p.m. EST. Washington poll closings In Washington, poll closing time is 11 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 11 p.m. EST. West Virginia poll closings In West Virginia, poll closing time is 7:30 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 7:30 p.m. EST. Wisconsin poll closings In Wisconsin, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. Wyoming poll closings In Wyoming, poll closing time is 9 p.m. EST. First voting results are expected at 9 p.m. EST. \|\|\|\|\| Embeddable Widget After making your selection, copy and paste the embed code above. The code changes based on your selection below.	– Today's the day ... but not much will happen until tonight. An hourly rundown of what to watch for in the quest for the big 270 (all times EST): 6pm: And the polls start closing! Indiana and Kentucky are the first to close a portion of their polls. The states aren't officially done until 7pm, but Politico reports that their first polling results are expected at 6pm. 7pm: Six states completely shut their doors, the most notable of which is battleground state Virginia, which went blue in 2008 for the first time since 1964. Obama and Romney were virtually tied there, according to a poll out yesterday; if either manages to grab the state's 13 electoral votes by a comfortable margin, that could be telling, reports the AP. 7:30pm: The star of this time slot is Ohio (18 electoral votes), though it shares the spotlight with fellow swing-state North Carolina (15). Real Clear Politics' average of a slew of polls gives Obama a three-point edge in Ohio. 8pm: Polling ends in the District of Columbia and 16 states, with Florida (29) and New Hampshire (four) leading the list of ones to watch; a CNN Poll of Polls yesterday had Obama up 50% to 48% in the Granite State. The majority of Florida's polls actually close at 7pm, but the AP cautions Florida-watchers from declaring victory or defeat too quickly: Some of the state's Democratic strongholds are typically last to report. Also keep an eye on Pennsylvania (21), which Romney is hoping to grab from Obama. 8:30pm: The lone state of Arkansas (six) closes its polls; Romney should take it easily. 9pm: Another 14 states call it quits. Keep an eye on Colorado (nine), along with three states that are expected to go blue: Wisconsin (10), Minnesota (10), and Michigan (17). If Romney is able to flip any of them, it's big news. 10pm: Among this hour's four states are the last of the battlegrounds: Iowa (six) and Nevada (six). If Romney doesn't take Ohio and Wisconsin, he needs Nevada. 11pm: Polls close in five western states, and there shouldn't be any surprises. Obama will add 78 electoral votes from California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington to his tally; Romney gets four from Idaho. 1am: Should you still be awake, you can watch Romney take Alaska's three electoral votes.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing arrest for violating a Swedish law about sex without condoms, rather than a mainstream interpretation of "rape." Yet that's the charge reports often levy against him. Behold the smear campaign. The New York Times wrote about the case on Thursday, noting that Swedish authorities were hunting Assange on charges of "rape, sexual molestation, and unlawful coercion." It commented on the alleged offense, stating claims by two women that "each had consensual sexual encounters with Mr. Assange that became nonconsensual." The Swedish charges aren't exactly new, though. Some of the media had reported "rape" allegations back in August, and the Daily Mail even asserted the first alleged illegal act occurred when a condom broke, and the woman concerned "whatever her views about the incident," then "appeared relaxed and untroubled at the seminar the next day." At this seminar, Assange met the second alleged victim and "a source close to the investigation said the woman had insisted he wear a condom, but the following morning he made love to her without one." Assange has questioned the "veracity" of the two women's statements, as the Times report notes. Assange's former lawyer yesterday "confirmed" the charges were to do with sexual misconduct concerning sex without condoms. Assange's current lawyer then revealed Swedish prosectors had told him they were not seeking Assange for "rape" at all, instead the alleged crime is "sex by surprise," which carries a penalty of a fine, although the details of the allegations haven't been revealed yet. Then came the Interpol warrant, and with it, a new life for the previous rape accusations. But few outlets are as concerned as the Times with nuance. Washington's Blog, to its credit, does report that the Swedish arrest warrant--and the following Interpol alert, adding Assange to its "most wanted" list--makes no reference to "rape." Instead Assange is being sought for sexual "coercion," after engaging in what was an allegedly non-consensual sex act with two women on two separate occasions within a short space of time. The act in question was sex without a condom, seemingly without the consent of the two women involved. Assange is also alleged to have been reluctant to submit to medical tests for sexually transmitted diseases. The two women reported him to the police, together, leading to the first arrest warrant for "rape," from a duty prosecutor, which was quickly canceled, then a later warrant for "sexual coercion." A Google search for "Julian Assange rape" returns over 445,000 responses. See the above wordcloud generated from the top 50. The stand-out word is obvious. And while some of these results include Assange's statements alleging a "dirty tricks" campaign, there are more damning mainstream links, such as a September 1st story from the Associated Press, picked up by the Huffington Post and headlined, "Julian Assange Rape Investigation Reopened: Sweden Probing Wikileaks Founder." The body of the text mentions Sweden's chief prosecutor's comments noting there was "no reason to suspect that Assange, an Australian citizen, had raped a Swedish woman who had reported him to the police," and the AP notes that the new warrant was for "sexual coercion and sexual molestation" which "overruled a previous decision to only investigate the case as 'molestation,' which is not a sex offense under Swedish law." In other words, the AP's text implies no mention of "rape" but the hot eye-grabbing headline does--it's an old libel loophole. The "rape" part technically describes the investigation, not what Assange allegedly did. We're absolutely not condoning non-consensual sex acts in any way, but arguably this story isn't about subtleties of semantics and centers on the labyrinthine--and seemingly nation-specific--laws Assange has violated. Yet the very Internets that Assange is using to crusade against government secrecy have enabled an almost unavoidable link between the words "Assange" and "rape" regardless of the precise nature of the allegations against him. Assange's character is thus extensively digitally smeared whether or not he is actually found guilty in court. Call it a trial by Internet, a jury of Assange's peers. To read more news on this, and similar stuff, keep up with my updates by following me, Kit Eaton, on Twitter. \|\|\|\|\| Supporters dismissed rape accusations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange... but the two women involved tell a different story By Angella Johnson Last updated at 11:57 AM on 29th August 2010 Fling: WikiLeaks founder faced charges of rape and sexual molestation, but they were withdrawn It is a story as intriguing and confusing as a Stieg Larsson blockbuster: celebrated internet whistleblower becomes embroiled in a complex sex scandal involving two women, not long after he had masterminded one of the biggest intelligence leaks of all time - against the U.S. That the action takes place in Sweden, Larsson’s home country, and that the protagonist is the flag-waver for freedom of information Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, provides added piquancy. Assange, 39, was attending a seminar in Stockholm earlier this month when he found himself facing charges of rape and sexual molestation - charges that were then, amid much confusion, withdrawn and which he strenuously denies. What does not seem to be in dispute is that he had sex with the two women within four days. The scandal made headlines around the world, forcing the usually strident campaigner to go to ground in Stockholm, claiming it was a smear campaign, possibly initiated by the CIA or the Pentagon. His supporters pointed out that the allegations came just a few weeks after WikiLeaks became embroiled in a dispute with the Pentagon over its publication of classified war documents, which the U.S. says endangers the lives of its soldiers and their Afghan allies. The website plans to release more documents. Sources in Sweden take a different view - they insist it was Assange’s louche behaviour and his chauvinistic attitude that led to the charges. One of the women claimed in a Swedish newspaper: ‘The responsibility for what happened to me and the other girl lies with a man who has a twisted attitude to women and a problem taking no for an answer.’ Adding to the confusion was the seemingly speedy decision by the Swedish police and prosecution service to charge Assange and issue a warrant for his arrest, even before formal statements had been taken from the women, only to have the rape charge dropped 24 hours later. The sexual molestation charge was then reduced to one that is punishable by little more than a slap on the wrist. As ever when such cases are mired in conflicting claims, the truth can take a long time to surface. But The Mail on Sunday has managed to obtain copies of the women’s police statements, which are made available to the media in Sweden. Denial: Mr Assange admitted having sex with two women within four days of each other Though heavily redacted, with details of the sex allegations blacked out, they make uncomfortable reading. Assange had flown into Stockholm on Wednesday, August 11, where several of the WikiLeaks internet servers are based, to speak at a seminar organised by the Social Demoratic Party, the equivalent of Britain’s Labour Party, three days later. It has been reported that the Australian lives a nomadic life, but curiously he applied for a visa to work permanently in Sweden soon after his arrival. Woman A, who works for the Christian branch of the party, was the main organiser but they had never met before. The attractive twentysomething, described by friends as hardworking and fun-loving, offered to let him stay in her one-bedroom flat in Sodermalm, Stockholm. She planned to visit her family on the other side of the country and would be away until the Saturday seminar. But she returned on the Friday, anxious about the amount of work still to do for the seminar. According to a police source: ‘They had a discussion and decided it would be OK to share the living space, then went out together for dinner. 'When they got back they had sexual relations, but there was a problem with the condom - it had split. 'She seemed to think that he had done this deliberately but he insisted that it was an accident.’ Whatever her views about the incident, she appeared relaxed and untroubled at the seminar the next day where Assange met Woman B, another pretty blonde, also in her 20s, but younger than Woman A. In her police statement, Woman B described how, in the wake of the Afghanistan leaks, she saw Assange being interviewed on television and became instantly fascinated - some might even say obsessed. She said she thought him ‘interesting, brave and admirable’. Over the following two weeks she read everything she could find about him on the internet and followed news reports about his activities. She discovered that he would be visiting Sweden to give a seminar, so she emailed the organisers to offer her help. She registered to attend and booked the Saturday off work. She appears to have dressed to catch his eye, in a shocking-pink cashmere jumper. But, she says, among the grey-suited journalists who filled the room, she felt uncomfortably out of place. Undeterred, she bagged a seat in the front row and was asked to buy a computer cable for Assange. No one bothered to thank her, she later complained. Assange, dressed in grey jeans and a suit jacket, spoke earnestly for 90 minutes on the theme ‘The first victim of war is the truth’. He could not have failed to notice the attractive blonde taking photographs of him. What unfolded could be described as akin to the meeting of a groupie and a rockstar. The woman loitered outside the building before approaching a member of his entourage, who invited her to join a lunch at a modest local eatery called Bistro Boheme. The party consisted of two Social Democrats, a freelance journalist friend of Assange, the man himself and Woman B - who was the only female. 'He has a twisted attitude to women' One of the men present recalled her as a person of a seemingly nervous disposition who didn’t fit in. ‘She was a little bit strange,’ he said. ‘Definitely an odd character and keen to get Julian’s attention.’ The woman admitted trying to engage her hero in conversation. Assange seemed pleased to have such an ardent admirer fawning over him and, she said, would look at her ‘now and then’. Eventually he took a closer interest. She explained in her statement that he was tucking into cheese served on Swedish crispbread when she asked if he thought it was good. Assange looked at her directly and started to feed her. His next move was pure computer geek - he told her that he needed a charger for his laptop, and she eagerly offered to help. Assange smiled, put his arm around her back and said: ‘Ah yes, it was you who gave me a cable.’ They went on a vain search for the charger. She bought him a travel card for the metro because he said he didn’t have any money. On the train he was recognised by a young man who gushed in admiration about WikiLeaks. If she felt a thrill from this brush with fame, Woman B doesn’t say. They ended up at the city’s Natural History Museum, where Assange headed to a computer console and, to the woman’s clear annoyance, twittered about his day. At 6pm they entered a bijou cinema to watch a short film about the ocean, called Deep Sea. In the darkness Assange became amorous. At one point they moved to the back row, where it is clear from the woman’s statement that the pair went far beyond kissing and fondling. After the show, they wandered towards a park. He turned to her and said: ‘You are very attractive ... to me.’ Assange said he had a traditional Swedish crayfish party to attend and needed a power nap, so they lay side by side on the grass and he fell asleep. She stayed awake and woke him about 20 minutes later. When she asked if they would meet again, he replied: ‘Of course.’ What he did not tell her was that the party was being hosted by the woman he had slept with two nights before and whose bed he would probably be sleeping in that night. By the time she had arrived home, 46 miles outside Stockholm, and charged her mobile phone, there was a message from Assange asking her to call. He was still at the party. The next day Woman B tried to call him but his phone was turned off. She eventually spoke to him on the Monday when he agreed to meet her in the evening and suggested they spend the night at her flat. She wanted to go to a hotel, but he said he would like to see her home. Again she bought his £10 train ticket because he had no cash and said he didn’t want to use his credit card in case his movement was being tracked. He spent most of the 45-minute journey surfing the internet on his laptop, reading stories about himself and twittering or texting on his mobile phone. ‘He paid more attention to the computer than to me,’ she said bitterly. It was dark by the time they arrived in her suburb and the atmosphere between them had cooled. ‘The passion and attraction seemed to have disappeared,’ she said. Most of what then followed has been blacked out in her statement, except for: ‘It felt boring and like an everyday thing.’ One source close to the investigation said the woman had insisted he wear a condom, but the following morning he made love to her without one. 'The passion seemed to have disappeared' This was the basis for the rape charge. But after the event she seemed unruffled enough to go out to buy food for his breakfast. Her only concern was about leaving him alone in her flat. ‘I didn’t feel I knew him very well,’ she explained. They ate in an atmosphere that was tense, though she said in her statement that she tried to lighten the mood by joking about the possibility that she might be pregnant. They parted on friendly terms and she bought his train ticket back to Stockholm. When she asked if he would call, he said: ‘Yes, I will.’ But he did not and neither did he answer her calls. The drama took a bizarre and ultimately sensational turn after she called the office of Woman A, whom she had briefly met at the seminar. The two women talked and realised to their horror and anger that they had both been victims of his charm. The issue of unprotected sex left a fear of disease. It is believed that they both asked him to take a test for STDs and he refused. Woman B was especially anxious about the possibility of HIV and pregnancy. And it was in this febrile state that the women, who barely knew each other, walked into a police station and began to tell their stories. Woman A said afterwards that she had not wanted to press charges but had gone to support the younger woman, who wanted police advice on how to get Assange to take a medical test. In any event, the police woman at the reception and two male officers, one from the sex crimes unit, believed there was enough evidence to call the female duty prosecutor, who issued the warrants. The story was leaked to a Swedish tabloid and Assange’s high profile led to the case being taken over by a senior female prosecutor who, after reading the statements, concluded there was no evidence of rape. She agreed to the sexual molestation charge related to the first woman, but even that was watered down last week. Some legal observers now believe that will also disappear. Claes Borgstrom, the lawyer representing the women, said they were upset about the way the case had been handled. ‘This case is a regressive sign for women that it’s not worth reporting when something like this happens,’ she said. ‘I was struck by the senior prosecutor’s statement that it’s not that she didn’t believe it but that she didn’t feel it was a crime. 'That’s why I’m going to a higher prosecutor to demand that the case is reopened.’ Assange’s lawyer Leif Silbersky said yesterday that he was unable to comment about the case until Tuesday. It is expected that the Swedish prosecution service will issue a statement about the case then. Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain – Assange’s attempts to portray himself as an online saint, exposing the secrets of the superpowers, has been dealt a damaging blow.	– By now, you’ve probably heard that Julian Assange is wanted for “rape” in Sweden. Heck, you probably read it here on Newser. You can hardly blame us; sources from CNN to the New York Times have said that Assange is charged with “rape, sexual molestation, and unlawful coercion.” There’s just one problem: It’s not true. Assange’s lawyers tell Aol News that prosecutors have told them he’s wanted not for rape but for “sex by surprise,” a minor crime punishable only be a fine. “We don't even know what 'sex by surprise' even means, and they haven't told us,” the lawyer says. It seems that two women have accused Assange only of not using a condom after they had asked him to do so, Fast Company explains, pointing to an old Daily Mail report indicating that in the first case, the condom simply broke. These complaints did initially lead to an arrest warrant for rape, but that warrant was swiftly canceled. The current warrant against him does not mention rape, but "sexual coercion."
Prosecutors also outlined the ways that Ms. Lodzinski’s story changed over time. At first, she said that she had simply turned from her child for a brief moment and then he was gone. Pressed by investigators, she said she was threatened at knife point and Timmy was taken by force. In another version, she said she had asked a woman she knew casually — Ellen, no last name — and two men to watch Timmy while she went for a soda. They were all gone when she returned. She was also not doing the things the public expects from a grieving parent. “Everyone is waiting to see a grieving mother on TV break down, crying, hysterical because the public, they thrive on that stuff,” she told reporters in 1991. “But I’m not going to do it.” Around the time she made those comments, Daniel O’Malley, a retired science teacher, was out looking for wildlife in an undeveloped part of Raritan Center, an industrial park in Edison, when he stumbled upon a sneaker. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adorned the shoe. Mr. O’Malley had followed Timmy’s case, he testified, and he recalled the description of what Timmy was wearing when he disappeared. But when the police showed the sneaker to Ms. Lodzinski, she said that she did not think it was Timmy’s, according to testimony from one of the investigators, Raymond Szkodny, a retired Sayreville detective sergeant. The turtles on this sneaker, she told him, were not the same as the turtles on the shoes she bought for Timmy. Later, however, she conceded it might belong to her son. \|\|\|\|\| NEW BRUNSWICK—Almost a quarter century after five-year-old Timothy Wiltsey mysteriously disappeared, his mother was found guilty of his murder today in a dramatic end to one of New Jersey's most notorious cold cases. A jury of seven men and five women convicted Michelle Lodzinski, 48, after eight weeks of testimony before Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Dennis Nieves in New Brunswick. They deliberated just four hours after the foreman was replaced Tuesday with an alternate because of an undisclosed "personal matter." As the verdict was announced, Lodzinski dropped her head forward and there was an audible gasp from the large crowd in the courtroom. Her entire body began to shake noticeably, including her head, with her hands clenched tightly in front of her. She did not say anything. A day of reckoning for a mother Most of the jurors looked straight ahead into the courtroom as the verdict was read, showing little emotion. As his sister was handcuffed, a visibly distraught Michael Lodzinski shouted out "I love you sis! I love you very much." She was immediately led out of the courtroom by Middlesex County Sheriff's Officers and returned to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick to await sentencing in August. Lodzinski has been in custody since her arrest in August 2014. Her attorney, Gerald Krovatin—who had sought a mistrial after the foreman was replaced—indicated he will appeal. "Michelle was extremely disappointed with the verdict, and we'll meet in a few days. We're exploring all alternatives," he said. Lodzinski did not testify during the trial. Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey had no immediate comment. The verdict came 9,125 days after Lodzinski first reported Timmy missing. The former South Amboy resident had long denied she had anything to do with her son's death. She said Timothy disappeared on May 25, 1991, as she went to get a soda while the pair were attending a traveling carnival in nearby Sayreville. The case made national headlines as volunteers combed the area for signs of the small boy, whose smiling face was later one of the first to appear on a milk carton to raise awareness about missing children. Timothy's skeletal remains were found nearly a year later in a marsh in Raritan Center in Edison, near where Lodzinski had once worked. A cause of death was never established because of the body's deterioration. Though some investigators had long suspected Lodzinski had something to do with her son's disappearance, it took prosecutors more than two decades to charge her. She was arrested in 2014 in Florida, where she lived with her two teenage boys, both born after Timmy's death. At the core of the case was a child's blanket, found near where the remains of Timothy were discovered, that prosecutors said came out of the Lodzinski home. "She dumped his body in a creek like a piece of trash, but she left behind a telling clue: this blanket, " declared Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Christie Bevacqua in her opening statement to the jury. "No other killer could get this." Eight weeks and dozens of witnesses later, a jury agreed. None of the jurors would comment on their verdict as they left the courthouse, or discuss their deliberations. Several hugged each other on the street corner outside the courtroom, before heading into the parking garage to their cars. Among those in the courtroom was Sgt. Jeffrey Sprague of the Sayreville police department, who was one of principal investigators in 1991 and testified at trial. He said he wanted to be there to hear the verdict. "It took some time to get this to trial, and a lot of hard work was done by everyone involved, but the verdict was a correct one," he said. Timeline of a 25-year-old case Denise Hogan, a former teacher at Timmy's elementary school in South Amboy, called the verdict bittersweet. "I hate to say I'm very happy about it, but I am happy. It took twenty-five years, and we knew back then that she was guilty," she said. Hogan, who was active in a volunteer group that distributed fliers and held fundraisers to help in the search for Timmy when he was missing, said the murder conviction would help heal some of the wounds that the South Amboy community felt after the death of the 5-year-old boy. "I think justice has finally been served for him," Hogan said. "He can finally rest in peace." Murder is punishable by up to life in prison. Sentencing was set for August 23. Staff writers Adam Clark, Stephen Stirling, Mark Mueller, Len Melisurgo and Kelly Heyboer contributed to this report. Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.	– Nearly a quarter-century after she reported him missing, Michelle Lodzinski has been found guilty of murdering her 5-year-old son. The conviction closes one of New Jersey's "most notorious cold cases," the New York Times reports. Lodzinski told police that her son, Timothy "Timmy" Wiltsey, disappeared from a carnival in Sayreville, N.J., on May 25, 1991, saying she turned away from him for a few minutes to get a soda and when she turned back around, he was gone. A search ensued, including a helicopter and a scuba team. Timmy's disappearance was featured on America's Most Wanted, and his photo appeared on milk cartons. In April of 1992, police identified human remains found in a creek at an industrial park as Timmy's. Investigators had for some time suspected that Lodzinski, now 48, was involved with Timmy's disappearance, NJ.com reports. Ultimately, it was child's blanket found near Timmy's remains that cracked the case some two decades later. During the eight-week trial, three witnesses recalled seeing the blanket at Lodzinski's home. "She dumped his body in a creek like a piece of trash, but she left behind a telling clue: this blanket, " the prosecutor said. "No other killer could get this." Before her 2014 arrest, Lodzinski was living in Florida with her two teenage sons. When the guilty verdict was read Wednesday, per NJ.com, there was a gasp in the courtroom and Lodzinski began to shake. She faces life in prison. "I hate to say I'm very happy about it, but I am happy," a former teacher from Timmy's school says. "It took 25 years, and we knew back then that she was guilty." Lodzinski plans to appeal.
Comments reported to have been made at reception for second world war veterans at the museum in Halifax's docks in Canada Prince Charles was reported to have likened the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, to Adolf Hiter during a conversation with a member of the public while on a visit to Canada. The prince, who is on a four-day trip to Canada, was reported to have made the comments at a reception for second world war veterans and their families at the museum in Halifax's docks. "And now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler," he was said to have told Marienne Ferguson, a museum volunteer who fled to Canada with her Jewish family when she was just 13. A spokesperson for Clarence House said: "We would not comment on private conversations. It was a private conversation at a reception for war veterans." The Daily Mail reported that Ferguson said: "'I had finished showing him the exhibit and talked with him about my own family background and how I came to Canada. "The prince then said 'And now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler'." "I must say that I agree with him and am sure a lot of people do. I was very surprised that he made the comment as I know they [members of the royal family] aren't meant to say these things but it was very heartfelt and honest." Charles commended Canada's contribution to the allied victory in the second world war as he and his wife, the duchess of Cornwall, were greeted by hundreds of people on Monday in Halifax on the first full day of a short visit there. Canada's involvement in the second world war was a central theme of the royal couple's day-long tour of Halifax, a naval city where 500,000 military personnel embarked on a trans-Atlantic journey to serve in Europe. The prince later met with military families at an armed forces resource center and Halifax's Pier 21, home of Canada's National Museum of Immigration, where they met war brides. Canada's government estimates about 48,000 young women, most of them from Britain, married Canadian servicemen during the second world war. A visit some days ago to Estonia by the prince's youngest son, Harry, was viewed by many commentators as a sign of western support amid fears of a resurgent Russia in a region where tensions have risen in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine. Harry also met with Estonian, British and US service personnel involved a major Nato training exercise. \|\|\|\|\| Silvio Berlusconi (BBC Newsnight) Silvio Berlusconi, the embattled former prime minister of Italy currently performing community service for a fraud conviction, appeared on BBC's "Newsnight" Tuesday. It was quite the interview. Talking to Berlusconi was Jeremy Paxman, the legendary "Newsnight" host known for his deadpan manner and brusque interviewing style. Paxman had recently announced he would retire from Newsnight, and he appears to want to go out on a high note. While much of the beginning of the interview deals with the European Union, Berlusconi is soon drawn into questions about his personal relationship with other world leaders and the colorful allegations about his private life. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the interview: On the allegations he dislikes Angela Merkel (3:10) Jeremy Paxman: "Do you have a particular problem with Angela Merkel? Is it true you called her an 'un-------- lard-ass'?" Silvio Berlusconi: "No, I have never had any problems with Angela Merkel. In 20 years of politics, I have never insulted anyone." (For reference) On the time he played a prank on Angela Merkel (4:00) Jeremy Paxman: "And the time where you jumped out from behind a monument and went "coo coo" to Angela Merkel? That was just a joke, was it?" Silvio Berlusconi: "She enjoyed it." (See video of this incident here) On the time Vladimir Putin played a prank on Silvio Berlusconi (4:30) Silvio Berlusconi: "A few days earlier, I had been to St. Petersberg to visit Putin. Putin hid behind the pillar, and did "coo coo" to me from behind!" On what is wrong with Italian politics (5:40) Silvio Berlusconi: "Everything [laughs]." On Beppe Grillo, the upstart comedian turned anti-establishment Italian politician (6:30) Silvio Berlusconi: "His behavior reminds me of some of the most bloody and dangerous characters in history. He has many things in common with Robespierre, Stalin, and Pol Pot." (For more on Grillo, read here) On the legal challenges he faces (8:30) Silvio Berlusconi: "2,700 [legal hearings against him] is a record. A world record! And the lies that have been invented about me have given me a very bad reputation abroad. Italians know very well that none of these fact are true." On "bunga bunga" (9:00) Silvio Berlusconi: "The 'bunga bunga' accusations were the most amazing things. Ridiculous. They manipulated reality. Luckily I am a strong person, and I am able to take it." (For more on "bunga bunga," read this) You can watch the video below. WARNING: Please note it contains one moment of coarse language (at 3:10): \|\|\|\|\| Former Italian prime minster Silvio Berlusconi has denied ever using derogatory language to describe German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The battles between Mr Berlusconi - now 77 - and Mrs Merkel at the height of the eurozone crisis are thought by some commentators to have exacerbated its problems. He is currently serving community service at a care home near Milan after being convicted of tax fraud in 2013, for which he was also ejected from his seat in the Senate. Speaking to Newsnight's Jeremy Paxman, he said he had "never insulted anyone" during his political career, but admitted he "was not an easy person to deal with". \|\|\|\|\| With less than a month remaining in his role as Newsnight's rottweiler-in-chief, Jeremy Paxman has added another high-profile scalp to his legacy of public-figure grillings. Demonstrating that his decision to leave the programme after 25 years has not doused any of the fire in his notoriously combative interview technique, he rendered the former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, temporarily speechless after asking him: "Do you have a particular problem with Angela Merkel? Is it true you called her an unfuckable lard-arse?" The question, which followed a series of innocuous warm-up questions posed to the scandal-ridden former Italian leader about the EU and the euro, appeared to leave him momentarily stunned as an interpreter relayed it to him through an earpiece. When he recovered his composure, he said that he had never insulted anyone in 20 years of politics and that the alleged insult was "made up by someone who wanted to turn Angela Merkel against me". Warming to the theme, an amused-looking Paxman also asked Berlusconi if the incident when he jumped out from behind a monument and said "cuckoo" to the German chancellor "was just a joke". Reading on mobile? Click to watch Berlusconi interview. The former Italian leader, who was forced to resign in November 2011 after losing his parliamentary majority, insisted that far from being an insult, it was testament to his close relationship with Merkel. "She enjoyed it," he replied. "I explained why I did the cuckoo thing. A few days earlier I had been to St Petersburg to visit [Vladimir] Putin. Putin hid behind a pillar and did cuckoo to me from behind. Merkel and I were on really good terms so when she came to Trieste, I thought of what Putin had done and I basically hid behind a monument and did the same thing. It was funny." The 77-year-old billionaire's time in office was blighted by a succession of scandals, leading Paxman to say that it was "unfortunate that as far as much of the rest of the world is concerned, the reputation you have is all about your private life. It's about corruption and unpaid taxes and bunga bunga parties". Berlusconi responded that 46 out of 47 cases against him were dismissed, and that "lies" were responsible for his reputation abroad. "Italians know very well that none of these facts are true," he claimed, adding that the bunga bunga accusations – that he had sex with underage prostitutes – were "ridiculous". Berlusconi used the interview to denounce Beppe Grillo, the head of Italy's anti-establishment Five Star party, comparing him to Stalin and Pol Pot, and concluding: "I want to go down in history as a father of the country and as my legacy, a conservative centre-right government to protect Italy from a dictator like Grillo." Meanwhile, Paxman has secured his own legacy of making the likes of Berlusconi squirm. The interview is likely to be filed alongside other memorable moments such as when he asked Michael Howard the same question a dozen times and questioned Tony Blair as to whether he and the US president, George W Bush, prayed together.	– Oh, those wacky European leaders: Perhaps the wackiest of them all, Silvio Berlusconi, gave an interview to the BBC's Jeremy Paxman that aired last night, and predictable ridiculousness ensued, reports the Guardian. Asked point-blank, "Do you have a particular problem with Angela Merkel? Is it true you called her an unf---able lard-arse?" Berlusconi had the grace to look taken aback by the question, then found his poker face and responded, "No, I have never had any problems with Angela Merkel. In 20 years of politics, I have never insulted anyone." He claimed the story was "made up by someone who wanted to turn Angela against me." The Washington Post had a grand time with the interview, rounding up its seven most ridiculous moments. Among them: That time Berlusconi hilariously jumped out from behind a monument and yelled "cuckoo" at Merkel. "She enjoyed it," he told Paxman. "I explained why I did the cuckoo thing. A few days earlier I had been to St. Petersburg to visit [Vladimir] Putin. Putin hid behind a pillar and did cuckoo to me from behind. Merkel and I were really on good terms so when she came to Trieste, I thought of what Putin had done and I basically hid behind a monument and did the same thing. It was funny." Speaking of Putin and stunts, Prince Charles is making headlines for reportedly comparing the Russian leader's actions in Ukraine to those of one Adolf Hitler.